The Kansas City Royals are on the lookout for upgrades this winter, particularly a bat, and they have some starting pitching to dangle. While some teams have reportedly been after ace of the staff Cole Ragans, the team is more interested in moving former Stanford Cardinal Kris Bubic, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
In his recent piece, Rosenthal mentions that some teams around the league were a little perplexed that the Royals recently added relief pitcher Matt Strahm, who is owed $7.5 million next season, due to their self-imposed financial constraints.
Because of these financial constraints, it would appear as though Bubic, who is projected to make $6 million in arbitration in 2026, could be a good trade candidate from a fiscal standpoint.
“The team remains open to moving moving left-hander Kris Bubic, who is projected to earn $6 million in arbitration. A trade of righty reliever John Schreiber ($3.8 million projection) or Bailey Falter ($3.3 million) also would create flexibility.”
Why trading Bubic makes sense