The Kansas City Royals are never one of the biggest spenders in an MLB offseason.

But there are chances for them to improve in free agency, too.

One idea out there is that K.C. could seek an outfield upgrade. That really isn’t one of the deeper positions in this free agent pool, but there are options.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand writes that the Royals should go after Harrison Bader, most recently with the Phillies after being moved to Philadelphia from the Twins.

“Kansas City got very little production out of center field last season (six home runs, 47 RBIs, .645 OPS), with Kyle Isbel getting about 70% of the at-bats,” Feinsand writes. “Bader had the best offensive season of his career in 2025, recording career highs in home runs (17), RBIs (54) and OPS (.796) while ranking in the 92nd percentile with 7 Outs Above Average.”

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Bader does come with a nice combination of possible outcomes.

His floor is a player who is above-average in center field, which is a valuable commodity in and of itself.

And if he hits anything like he did in 2025, he can be a plus there, too. Even in Bader’s lesser hitting years, he’s an asset in the lineup against left-handed pitching.

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The Royals took a step back in the standings this past season, and this winter will be a chance to try to take a step forward again.

Signing Bader wouldn’t generate major headlines across baseball, but it’d be a solid move that would have a lot of ways to work out for Kansas City.

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