Ex-Red Sox, Dodgers 4-Time All-Star Mentioned With Royals As Surprise Free-Agent Fit
It's a crucial offseason for the Kansas City Royals to assert themselves as the favorites in the American League Central.
The Royals have something no one else in their division can boast: a superstar barely entering his prime. With Bobby Witt Jr. under contract for the next 10 years, Kansas City has the face of their franchise locked down far longer than any of their division rivals.
However, the Royals aren't exactly guaranteed to be title contenders. Their lineup is shaky behind Witt, and their bullpen has some question marks. Adding one more high-leverage arm to pair with 2024 trade acquisition Lucas Erceg could be the key to success.
Recently, Lyndon Suvanto of Sportskeeda somewhat surprisingly projected the Royals as one of the top fits for Kenley Jansen, the ex-Boston Red Sox four-time All-Star closer, in free agency.
"If the Kansas City Royals bring in Jansen and bump Erceg to the setup man, the two could quickly become one of the top duos in all of baseball," Suvanto said. "The Royals could use an arm like Jansen if they are going to contend for the title."
Jansen, 37, has 447 career saves, putting him in fourth place all time. A perk the Royals could offer him to convince him to sign there might be a guaranteed priority for the closer's role. His longtime former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, may have others ahead of him on the depth chart.
In 2024, Jansen had 27 saves, a 3.29 ERA, and 62 strikeouts in 54 1/3 innings. He struggled with shoulder problems toward the end of the season, but there were stretches during the Red Sox's early summer surge where he was flat-out dominant.
Kansas City might have to extend themselves a bit in free agency to land Jansen, who most recently signed a two-year, $32 million deal with Boston in 2023. But it would be worth the added payroll if he keeps producing like he has throughout his historic career.
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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