The Kansas City Royals have likely had the best offseason so far among AL Central teams. The club has aggressively addressed some outfield issues, trading for Isaac Collins and signing Lane Thomas, while also adding bullpen reinforcements with old friend Matt Strahm and right-hander Nick Mears.
The momentum since the Winter Meetings felt like it was reaching critical mass, edging closer to a major trade that would calm any lingering unease from fans. Then, The Athletic tossed a cold glass of water on the whole thing.
After trading for Strahm, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that “shedding payroll still might be necessary for the Royals to acquire one more hitter.