Ex-Royals Former All-Star Linked To Brewers As Offseason Winds Down
The Kansas City Royals have taken care of their pitching needs. Michael Wacha and Michael Lorenzen are both back, and the team recently signed veteran right-hander Carlos Estevez to boost the bullpen, giving him a two-year, $22 million deal.
Now, all that's left for Kansas City is to add one more bat to their mix. Jonathan India and Joey Wiemer should help improve the offense, but they need one more piece in order to improve after their 2024 playoff exit.
They could look to re-sign utility man Paul DeJong. However, Chad Jennings of The Athletic linked him to the Milwaukee Brewers.
"This is the only remotely viable shortstop left on the free agent market (the next-best was Nick Ahmed, but he just signed a minor league deal with the Rangers). Signing DeJong would let the Brewers keep Brice Turang and Joey Ortiz at second and third, where they’re excellent defenders. DeJong would also give the Brewers another right-handed bat," Jennings wrote.
DeJong was an All-Star with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2019. If he signs elsewhere, he will have only spent a half-season with Kansas City.
The Royals acquired him from the Chicago White Sox at the trade deadline to boost their lineup.
Last season, DeJong hit just .227 and had a lackluster .703 OPS. However, he did hit 24 home runs and also drove in 56 runs during the regular season, helping Kansas City return to October for the first time since winning the World Series in 2015.
We'll see where he ends up.
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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.