The Kansas City Royals have had a pretty productive offseason thus far. They signed Lane Thomas to a one-year contract and added Isaac Collins, Nick Mears and Matt Strahm via trade.
However, fans shouldn’t expect them to be done just yet. There is still work to do to improve this winter. One more bat can’t hurt.
The Royals have been one of the teams interested in St. Louis Cardinals All-Star second baseman Brendan Donovan, but other options are also available. Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report lists outfielder Austin Hays as one of the top remaining free agents this winter. Perhaps the Royals could take a flier on him.
If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.
Low-Cost Option Could Emerge For Royals
Cincinnati Reds right fielder Austin Hays (12) celebrates an RBI double in the first inning of the MLB National League Wild Card Game 2 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. The Reds were eliminated from the postseason with an 8-4 loss to the reining World Series Champions La Dodgers. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Hays finished third on the Reds in home runs (15) and RBI (64) in 2025 after signing a modest one-year, $5 million deal. He has always hit left-handed pitching well, and last season was no exception with a .319/.400/.549 line over 105 plate appearances. He could fill a starting role on a mid-tier team or a platoon job on a top-tier contender,” Reuter writes.
Hays bounced back in a big way with Cincinnati in 2025. The Royals could use some more right-handed power, and Hays is a perfect weapon to be used against left-handed pitching.
The former All-Star struggled in 2024 with the Baltimore Orioles and Philadelphia Phillies, missing time due to a calf strain and a kidney infection. But he looked much stronger in 2025.
At 30 years old, he shouldn’t be an overly expensive addition for the Royals if they decide to go that route. More power can’t hurt as they try to bounce back from what was an abysmal year offensively in 2025.
Hays can play all three outfield positions, so he brings a lot of versatility to the table and could give the Royals even more of an offensive boost. One more outfielder can’t hurt, as that was an area where they had struggled in 2025.
It may take a little while for Hays to come off the board, but this is exactly the type of addition that general manager J.J. Picollo would typically make, so it will be interesting to see if he ends up being on the Royals’ radar in the coming weeks.
More MLB: Royals’ Matt Strahm Shades Phillies After Trade To Kansas City