The more the offseason kicks into gear, the more obvious it’s become that the Kansas City Royals aren’t going to be true big-game hunters.
Early in the offseason, there were whispers about the Royals going after Cody Bellinger, Alex Bregman, and Kyle Tucker. At this point, it seems as though they either knew they were outgunned by big-market suitors or they heard the price tags on those players and decided to pivot.
However, there’s one name that continues to surface in free agency rumors surrounding the Royals: Harrison Bader, the Philadelphia Phillies’ outfield pickup at the trade deadline and a former Gold Glove center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals.
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More smoke around Bader, Royals
Sep 4, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Harrison Bader (2) catches a fly ball hit by Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Andruw Monasterio (not pictured) in the second inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Those rumors gathered a bit more steam on Wednesday, as Royals beat reporter Anne Rogers named Bader as the lone free agent in a column about potentially realistic outfield targets for the Royals ahead of the winter meetings starting on Sunday.
“Bader plays an elite center field, and while Isbel figures to be the favorite out there again for the Royals, there’s nothing wrong with having two elite defenders on the grass, especially because Bader is right-handed and Isbel is a lefty,” wrote Rogers.
“Bader is probably going to command a two- or three-year deal, so the Royals would have to decide if that fits into their plans – and if Bader’s 2025 season is a predictor of things to come.”
Rogers is hardly the only one to name Bader when discussing perfect Royals fits. MLB.com national insider Mark Feinsand did so earlier this week, Just Baseball named Kansas City the No. 1 potential destination for the 31-year-old in November, and SB Nation’s Max Rieper said Wednesday that he “stands out” as a realistic option.
With all of that said, we don’t know what Bader’s market looks like yet, as he’s unlikely to sign before some of the big names come off the board, so it’s a bit premature to say that the Royals are near the top of the list of favorites.
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