Royals Predicted To Move On From $4.5 Million Former All-Star After Dismal Season
The Kansas City Royals had an A+ offseason last year, even if not every signing worked out as it was intended to.
The Royals won big on Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha, who formed the core of a dominant starting pitching rotation. But their offense languished behind, even if it was barely enough to secure a playoff spot.
One signing the Royals had higher hopes for was utility man Adam Frazier, who was a 2021 National League All-Star before his journeyman phase really took off. Since that All-Star selection, Frazier has played for the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, and Royals.
After a brutal year in which he put up a .294 slugging percentage and 63 OPS+, Frazier was bought out of the second year of his Royals contract. He's now a free agent, and Joe Summers of FanSided doesn't see Kansas City making any attempt to bring him back.
"The logic for moving on from Adam Frazier is similar to why the team won't re-sign Robbie Grossman or Garrett Hampson. This lineup needs more consistent power and unfortunately, Frazier is a limited offensive player," Summers wrote.
"Losing all of these strong defenders could pose an issue, but the organization has always done a great job finding replacements who can flash the leather. There's a healthy balance to find of not slumping too much defensively while simultaneously upgrading the offense in a significant way."
In many respects, the Royals already have moved on from Frazier, considering they bought out the second year of his contract at a $2.5 million loss. But in theory, there's a world where they could bring him back on a cheaper deal than the $8.5 million he was originally slated to make and save a few bucks.
More likely, though, is the Royals finding a new solution altogether for the super-utility role they hoped Frazier could play. It's tough to admit defeat on a player who's had past success elsewhere, but it doesn't seem like there's much hope for Frazier to turn it around at this point.
More MLB: Royals Starting Pitcher With 4.53 ERA Predicted To Break Out In 2025
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