Earlier this week, reports surfaced that the Royals were looking to add multiple outfielders. President of baseball operations JJ Picollo has already said he would be willing to trade a pitcher for an outfielder. Kansas City was interested in a reunion with trade deadline acquisition Yastrzemski, but he ultimately signed a two-year deal with Atlanta.
Finding an impact bat in the outfield is an ongoing quest for the organization. Kansas City was linked to it Jarren Duran before the trade deadline. The club fell short in signing Anthony Santander And Jurickson Professor last outdoor season. Although the Royals are not expected to shop in the United States Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger level this winter, with which they are connected Harrison Bader And Austin Hays. Jake Meyers And Brendan Donovan have been mentioned as trading targets.
As LA’s primary right fielder, Hernandez provided league-average production last season. He failed to follow up his debut campaign of 33 home runs and 12 steals with the team, falling to a 102 wRC+ in 134 games. Hernandez hit .257 with one home run in the postseason for the eventual champions. The 33-year-old is entering the second season of a three-year, $66 million contract.
The main drawback with Hernandez in recent years has been his defense. He has totaled -19 outs above average over the past two seasons with the Dodgers. Statcast rates Hernandez’s arm as near average, but his range has dropped significantly since his early days with Toronto when he was able to play center field. The defensive shortcomings could lead the Dodgers to consider a more versatile alternative. The club certainly has the resources to make an addition in the outfield if they were to ship Hernandez.
Kansas City’s outfielders were among the weakest offensive players last season. The club’s midfielders combined for a .645 OPS, which was their best performance among the three outfield positions. The Royals tried their best to find a good slugger to add to the mix last year, but none of them Randal Grichuk, Hunter Renfroeor Mark Kanha selected. The lineup would likely include the left-handed trio Jac Caglianon, Kyle IsbelAnd John Rave manning the lawn if the season were to start today.
The Royals scored the fifth fewest points last season. They were also bottom five in home runs. The top of the line-up is set, but there are still plenty of question marks Salvador Perez at the clean-up site. An addition in the outfield appears to be the easiest route to improving the club’s attacking prospects. Top prospect Caglianone will have a chance to stay as a regular, but Rave had mediocre results in the minors before struggling in his MLB debut, and Isbel has never had long-term success as a big-league player. Isbel has routinely developed into a great defender, so he could potentially alleviate some of the defensive issues that would come from acquiring Hernandez.
Photo courtesy of Kiyoshi Mio, Imagn Images
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