Dodgers All-Star Slugger Could Be Perfect Free-Agent Fit For Royals
The Kansas City Royals are proving they belong in 2024. In 2025, they could take the American League by storm.
There's a lot already to like about this Royals team. Superstar Bobby Witt Jr. leads the way, but he's backed up by a star catcher in Salvador Perez, an incredibly talented starting rotation, and a bunch of fast, versatile players at other positions.
However, there's no question about it: The Royals need more offense. The entire bottom half of their lineup had OPS's below .700 in the regular season, and they found themselves combing the waiver wire for bats that would be in their postseason lineup at the end of August.
With that in mind, there are a number of directions the Royals could go in their search for improved hitting in 2025. Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report named Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star Teoscar Hernández as one option to improve the Royals' offense in the outfield.
"There's a strong "2022 Yankees" vibe to the offense the Royals have this year, as it's basically one great hitter (Bobby Witt Jr.) amid a veritable sea of mediocrity," Rymer said.
"There's also the question of which need should take precedent. Second and third base both qualify, as do all three outfield spots. So even if they an afford, say, an Anthony Santander or a Teoscar Hernández, there could be sense in spreading the money around instead."
Hernández, 31, could end up being the perfect solution to the Royals' outfield picture. He made his second All-Star team this season, won the Home Run Derby in Arlington, Texas, set a career-high with 30 home runs, and compiled a robust .840 OPS/137 OPS+.
Rymer seems to think there's little to no chance that the Royals could make a realistic push for Hernández, but is that really the case?
All we know so far about the Royals' increased spending from 2024 is that it's seemingly a part of ownership's effort to drum up support for the new downtown ballpark. How deep does that effort run? Couldn't the Royals, much like the San Diego Padres in recent years, keep steadily growing their payroll?
There's a misperception in baseball that the teams in the smaller television markets have to operate on small budgets. The Royals have often done that in the past, but they could be handsomely rewarded if they keep pushing the envelope. That could start with acquiring Hernández this winter.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org