KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The left side of the Kansas City Royals’ infield is set to be in place for years to come, after the Royals and third baseman Maikel Garcia agreed to a long-term extension.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Garcia and the Royals agreed to a five-year, $57.5 million deal on Friday. However, incentives and a 2031 club option could bring the deal into the $85 million range.
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A more detailed look at Garcia’s deal is below:
$21 million 2031 club option with a $3.2 million buyout
The move pays for four of Garcia’s arbitration years and at least one free agent year– making it a very team-friendly move if Garcia expands on his stellar 2025 season.
The 25-year-old out of Venezuela produced his best major league season in 2025, earning his first All-Star selection and American League Gold Glove Award. He finished the season with a .286 batting average, a .351 on-base percentage and a .449 slugging percentage with 16 home runs, 74 RBIs and 23 stolen bases.
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Those numbers led to Kansas City extending Garcia, who will now stay alongside phenom Bobby Witt Jr. on the left side of the infield until at least 2030. The pair combined for a total of 12.9 wins above replacement (WAR), solidifying KC’s left infield as one of the best in baseball.
The move also confirms that the Royals believe Garcia will continue to improve. He signed with the Royals at just 16 years old and worked his way through the system until his debut in 2022.
The move also comes after the Royals picked up free agent outfielder Lane Thomas on Thursday, signing the 29-year-old potential platoon bat to a one-year deal.
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