Kansas City Royals set to begin spending in near future

The Kansas City Royals are not a team known for being major players in free agency. That could change soon.

There once was a time when the Kansas City Royals were active in free agency. During the final years of Ewing Kauffman’s tenure as owner, he desperately sought to bring another title to Kansas City during his lifetime. That led to splashing free agent acquisitions, some of which worked out in the likes of David Cone and Mike Boddicker. Then there were those that flamed out spectacularly, such as Storm Davis and Mark Davis.

Since the days of Kauffman, the Royals have tended to be more cautious in regards to free agency, typically picking up smaller pieces. They have operated with a smaller payroll; even their World Series winning team ranked 16th in the majors in salary. With the current rebuild, that is not something that would seemingly change in the near future.

However, when John Sherman purchased the Royals, he indicated that would potentially change. When the Royals are ready to contend and emerge from their rebuild, the checkbook would open, with Kansas City being aggressive in going after pieces that would supplement their core.

That time could happen sooner than expected. The Royals do not have a lot of salary committed to future seasons, with most of their attempts to extend their window of contention coming off the books soon. After this year, only Danny Duffy, Salvador Perez, and Whit Merrifield have guaranteed contracts. In 2022, that group decreases to only Merrifield, and a grand total of $2.75 million for that season.

Obviously, that number is somewhat skewed. It does not take into consideration the younger players currently on the Royals, or any arbitration salaries. But it does give a hint as to the future of the franchise, especially if the coming wave of prospects pan out as hoped.

The Royals may not just focus on free agency. Extensions could happen in the coming years, especially with the potential building blocks already in place. Another extension for Perez would not be outside the realm of possibility, or long term deals for the likes of Adalberto Mondesi or Jorge Soler.

The Kansas City Royals have minimal payroll obligations after 2020. They could be a player in free agency in short order.