Could Royals Pursue $105 Million Silver Slugger To Boost Lineup For 2025?
The Kansas City Royals have been busy this winter following their exit in the American League Division Series against the eventual AL champion New York Yankees.
They brought back veteran right-hander Michael Wacha on a three-year, $51 million contract with a $21 million club option for 2028. Later in November, they traded for Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer.
Still, there is work to be done if they want to return to the postseason in 2025. They need some help on the offensive side. While it may be a stretch that the Royals make a big splash, outfielder Anthony Santander fits what they need.
He is ranked among the top free agents by The Athletic.
"Santander became an Orioles mainstay and hit a career-high 44 home runs this season. He also made his first All-Star Game.
Having just turned 30, Santander is again available to any team, but the price tag has gone up considerably. He’s a switch hitter who offers reliable power without an astronomical strikeout rate, having slugged .476 over the past six seasons."
Santander obviously had a big year with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024. Despite hitting just .235, he made up for it with his power. He drove in 102 runs, slugged .506 and posted an .814 OPS during the regular season.
As a switch hitter, he could help the Royals from both sides of the plate and give them the offensive boost they need in order to return to the postseason in 2025.
It will be interesting to see how his market develops this winter.
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Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Communication and currently writes as a contributor for various platforms covering Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.