Could Bobby Witt Jr. lead off?
Anne Rogers writes about some leadoff options from outside the organization but then considers an internal option as well.
Maybe the Royals do not find the right fit for their leadoff guy this offseason, or the one they do find doesn’t pan out. The obvious internal option, then, is Witt. He’s an ideal leadoff candidate with power potential, speed and his walks increasing as he gains experience. Plus, he’s the Royals’ best player. Why not get him more at-bats?
Witt is simply more comfortable hitting second, and the Royals want to do everything they can to make their star shortstop comfortable. At some point, though, if the club is out of options and desperately needs a spark, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Witt atop the lineup.
Craig Brown reacts to some Royals named finalists for major awards.
Again, this award is done and dusted—it’s Skubal all the way. The guy won the Pitching Triple Crown. The same thing I said above for Witt goes for Lugo here. He’s a stone-cold lock to finish second. What a fantastic free agent signing by Picollo.
I have to say, I’m a bit surprised that Clase is on the shortlist (meaning he will have finished third) and not Cole Ragans. If we’ve learned anything as baseball has evolved these last few seasons (and from the entirety of the 2024 Kansas City Royals), it’s that good starting pitchers bring a ton of value to a team. Ragans was seventh in the league with 186.1 innings pitched and finished in the top 10 in ERA, hits allowed per nine, and Adjusted ERA+. He finished behind Skubal in strikeouts (228 to 223) and first in SO/9. I think Ragans was clearly one of the three best pitchers in the AL this year.
Preston Farr at Farm to Fountains writes about some minor leaguers that could jump to full-season minor league ball next year.
Ramon Ramirez (Catcher)
We can get the more obvious name out of the way first. Ramirez wasn’t nearly as successful in the Complex League as he was in his Dominican debut. However, he still looked solid. In 49 games, Ramirez slashed .265/.379/.459 with seven home runs. He saw a serious uptick in strikeouts but not enough to become alarming. Ramirez has a strong approach at the plate and has consistently shown the potential for plus power as he continues to develop. Defensively, it’s less clear where Ramirez will end up. It hasn’t been a liability behind the dish to this point but he may be more of a first baseman in the long-term.
Rachael Millanta at Kings of Kauffman lists some free agent outfield options for the Royals to consider.
Former Royals infielder Nicky Lopez clears waivers and becomes a free agent.
The Angels sign catcher Travis d’Arnaud to a two-year, $12 million deal.
The Red Sox have Juan Soto at the top of their wishlist.
The Diamondbacks expect to maintain their payroll numbers.
The Twins shake up their front office, promoting Derek Falvey to president.
Mike Soroka went 0-10 for the White Sox, but he may be a coveted free agent.
Jeff Passan at ESPN Insider considers where top free agents may go. [$]
The Astros begin a pivotal off-season if they want to keep their window of contention open.
Tropicana Field can be fixed in time for the 2026 season at a cost of $56 million.
Forty-one-year-old pitcher Charlie Morton intends to pitch next year.
Jay Jaffe at Fangraphs considers the Hall of Fame case for Ken Boyer.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce had their homes burglarized last month.
Why KC Current striker Temwa Chawinga is one of the best in the league.
Doctors warn against sitting on the toilet for more than ten minutes.
How the Berlin Wall became a 100-mile bike and pedestrian trail.
Wisconsin officials believe a kayaker missing since summer faked his own death and is living in Europe.
Your song of the day is Urge Overkill with Sister Havana.