An $8 million salary is high for a hitter whose OPS-plus was 11 percent below league average last season. But non-tendering India would have left the Royals with a hole at second base, and the savings would not have dramatically altered their outfield pursuits. They’re shopping for inexpensive types, which is why a deal for Harrison Bader seems unlikely.
Bader, perhaps the top free-agent outfielder after Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, is seeking at least a three-year contract with an AAV between $10 million and $15 million, according to people briefed on his market. The Royals want to add two outfielders at lesser salaries.