Royals $13 Million Veteran Outfielder Listed As Team's Worst Contract
The Kansas City Royals were busy this offseason, signing Michael Wacha, Carlos Estevez and Michael Lorenzen to beef up their pitching staff. They also traded for Jonathan India.
The Royals are currently a very well-run organization, especially compared to their Missouri-state counterparts the St. Louis Cardinals. But that doesn't mean mistakes haven't been made before.
Every team in Major League Baseball is stuck with a contract they might regret, and the Royals are no different. Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report made a list of each team's worst investment over the past few years, and for the Royals, it was outfielder Hunter Renfroe.
"The Royals signed a slew of veterans last offseason, getting quite a bit of return out of the starting-pitching additions of Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha," Kelly wrote.
"However, Renfroe's two-year, $13 million deal doesn't look great after he posted a minus-0.1 WAR and .689 OPS a year ago with the Royals. He also wasn't an effective right fielder, as he finished 2024 with minus-4 defensive runs saved and minus-seven outs above average."
A two-year, $13 million contract isn't a terrible investment by any means. It's actually quite a team-friendly deal.
But Renfroe had a bad year in 2024, hitting just .229/.297/.689 with 15 home runs, 52 RBI and an uninspiring .689 OPS.
If he can bounce back in 2025, then the Royals could still get a little bang for their buck. But his defense also needs to improve. The Royals would have been smart to add a bat or two in free agency to bolster their lineup.
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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.