Royals Could Target $54 Million Former All-Star To Boost Offense.
The Kansas City Royals have had a quiet month of December after being quite busy in November. They started off their winter with a bang when they re-signed Michael Wacha and traded for Jonathan India.
The offense could still use a little bit of work, as it was the main culprit for their downfall in the American League Division Series against the eventual AL champion New York Yankees.
While they likely won't make a major move, there are still some complementary pieces that could help them out.
Max Rieper of Royals Review listed utility man Jorge Polanco as an option to boost their offense as a bench bat.
"Jorge Polanco is a former All-Star who has been a starter, but he may have to work his way back as a role player after a poor season and a major knee injury. He hit just .213/.296/.355 with 16 home runs in 118 games with the Mariners this year, and had knee surgery in October. But the 31-year-old has a very solid track record as a well-above average-hitting middle infielder, hitting 33 home runs as recently as 2021," Rieper wrote.
Polanco obviously had a down season with the Seattle Mariners, but he is a switch hitter and can provide power from both sides of the plate. He could be used as more of a platoon piece at this point in his career.
He is three years removed from hitting 33 home runs and driving in 98 runs with the Minnesota Twins. If all goes according to plan and the Royals decide to pursue him, perhaps he could bounce back from a difficult 2024.
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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.