What legacy does Hunter Renfroe leave after KC Royals divorce?

No team should expect every free-agent signing to be a home run. There are missteps at every tier of free agent, some holding a team back for a decade or more, or ones that are quick and inconvenient as a hiccup. The Kansas City Royals knew signing outfielder Hunter Renfroe was likely closer to the latter—a calculated risk on a veteran with declining production—and the cards just didn’t fall his way in Kansas City.

After a tough 2023 and a steady decline from his peak, Renfroe was always a long shot to be a difference-maker. The hope was that he could rebound, provide veteran pop to the lineup, and maybe rediscover some of the magic from his earlier years.

But the experiment was doomed from the start. From his first at-bats, it was clear that Renfroe was a shadow of his 2022 self; his approach was off, and his impact was minimal for an acquisition of his level. The Royals' decision to designate him for assignment wasn’t a surprise; it was a move that felt inevitable for weeks, even months.

Hunter Renfroe joined the KC Royals with little left in the tank

When the Royals signed Renfroe, they offered enough to convince the eight-year veteran to join them at Kauffman Stadium, including a player option for 2025. That option kept him on the books despite a disappointing 2024 campaign where he appeared in just 120 games—his fewest since 2018—and ended his six-season streak of 50+ extra-base hits. There was some hope he might bounce back in 2025; after all, his injuries in 2024 were uncharacteristic, and he had an excellent June and July before being derailed by injury. Plus, his defensive reputation was bolstered by a fourth-place ranking in AL outfield assists.

But none of those hopes materialized.

In 108 plate appearances across 35 games this season, Renfroe posted a .483 OPS—one of the lowest in the league—and a slash line of .182/.241/.242. Unfortunately, there were no redeeming flashes, and his overall .647 OPS in Kansas City ranked as the sixth-worst ever among qualified outfielders in team history. Even his once-feared arm, a signature of his defensive profile, clocked in at a career-low strength in right field. The advanced metrics painted no rosier picture: expected batting numbers were poor, the process at the plate looked off, and the eye test was equally unkind.

Hunter Renfroe seemed like a consummate professional, down to the end

Despite it all, Renfroe carried himself like a consummate professional. In an era where fans hear constant stories of egos and frustrations in the clubhouse, Renfroe remained composed. He could have blamed his struggles on inconsistent playing time or harbored resentment toward those who replaced him. Instead, he handled the writing on the wall with dignity, never letting frustrations spill into the public eye.

Now, the road ahead for Renfroe remains uncertain. At 33 years old, with no recent track record of success, it’s hard to imagine another MLB team offering him a meaningful opportunity. The end comes for every player, and for Renfroe, his time in Kansas City has definitively come to a close.