The Royals bid for another postseason berth came up a few games short in 2025, as the 82-win team finished 3rd in the AL Central. KC likely feels like they’re a few bounces and an additional bat away from being right back in the thick of things again for 2026 (and potentially beyond).

A Bright Spot
Rare Starting Pitcher depth. While 95% of MLB teams will spend the next few months trying to commandeer at least one legitimate starting pitcher for 2026, the Royals are the rare organization that may be able to sell an arm this winter. Kris Bubic could be the early leader in this clubhouse.

A Big Concern
Outfield Production. The Royals scored over 80 fewer runs in 2025 than they did in 2024, and the clearest path to upgrade lies at the corner outfield positions. While KC may not be in the running for top free agent Kyle Tucker, look for them to aggressively pursue next-level-down talent.

Related Links
2026 Royals Financials
MLB Offseason Guides

Pending Free Agents

Yastrzemski had a fantastic 50-game stretch in KC after being acquired from SF at the deadline, and a reunion of some sort should be in consideration. Frazier continues to be a more than serviceable UTIL/part-time player and could bounce around the a bit again in 2026.

PLAYER MARKET VALUE
Mike Yastrzemski (OF, 35) $11M
Hunter Harvey (RP, 30) $5.5M
Adam Frazier (2B, 33) $4M

Option Decisions

Perez will be back in the mix in some capacity (a multi-year extension at or around this $13.5M per year mark is very possible), while the Royals are almost certain to punt on both Lorenzen & Grichuk’s options this fall.

PLAYER OPTION SALARY
Salvador Perez (C, 35) $13.5M club option ($2M buyout)
Michael Lorenzen (SP, 33) $12M mutual option ($1.5M buyout)
Randal Grichuk (OF, 34) $5M mutual option ($3M buyout)

Arbitration-Eligibility

While it’s safe to assume that KC won’t keep this entire laundry list of arb-eligible players on their initial 40-man roster, there’s an awful lot of impact value to be had, at least on paper. India could find himself in trade discussions with both Michael Massey and Nick Loftin now available to take on 2B duties. Melendez probably survives his first run through arbitration despite a dreadful 2025, and there might be one too many SPs on the books to carry into the start of the season.

PLAYER PROJ. ARB SALARY
Jonathan India (2B, 29) $7.5M
Vinnie Pasquantino (1B, 28) $5.25M
Maikel Garcia (3B, 26) $4.85M
Kris Bubic (SP, 28) $4.5M
John Schreiber (RP, 32) $4M
Bailey Falter (SP, 29) $3.25M
Kyle Isbel (OF, 29) $3M
MJ Melendez (OF, 27) $2.65M
Lucas Erceg (RP, 31) $2M
Taylor Clarke (RP, 33) $2M
Kyle Wright (SP, 30) $1.8M
Angel Zerpa (RP, 26) $1.25M
Daniel Lynch (RP, 29) $1.25M
Michael Massey (2B, 28) $1M
Sam Long (RP, 30) $950k
James McArthur (RP, 29) $850k

Guaranteed Salary

KC’s current guaranteed contracts derive from 5 positions of importance: the cornerstone SS, a shutdown closer, and 3 top of rotation starting pitchers.

PLAYER CBT SALARY
Bobby Witt Jr. (SS, 26) $26.2M
Seth Lugo (SP, 36) $23M
Michael Wacha (SP, 35) $17M
Carlos Estevez (RP, 33) $11.1M
Cole Ragans (SP, 28) $4.4M

Team Tax Projections

The Royals finished 2025 with a projected $173M CBT payroll according to our data, 17th most in MLB. They begin the 2026 offseason projecting toward $153M, not including Salvador Perez. If they’re serious about adding more power at the plate, they’ll need to sign off on a payroll that approaches the $200M mark when it’s all said and done.

Spotrac's 2026 MLB Offseason Previews