Isaac Collins arrived with real expectations attached, the kind that come with being the offseason move meant to lift an offense and patch one of the Royals’ biggest problem areas in the outfield. That didn’t happen.
The 29-year-old outfielder got into 145 games and finished with a .213/.320/.321 slash line, a line that tells the story pretty clearly. He had 70 more at-bats than he did in 2025 with the Brewers, but managed four fewer hits. His extra-base power stayed essentially in place - 24 doubles, a career high, along with three triples and six homers - but the overall production never came close to matching the role the Royals were asking him to fill.
Collins did take 64 walks, seven more than the year before, but that came with 120 strikeouts, which was 27 more than in 2025. Compared to his previous season, his batting average fell by 50 points, his on-base percentage by 48 points, his slugging percentage by 90 points and his OPS by 138 points. He also left 213 men on base.
The split numbers weren’t pretty, either. Against right-handers, the switch-hitter batted .216/.333/.327 in 306 at-bats.
Against lefties, he hit .206/.288/.309 in 136 at-bats. And like a lot of Royals this year, he was better at home than on the road.
There was at least a decent first half to point to. Through the break, Collins put together a .240/.345/.363 line in 267 at-bats, which played fine for a hitter near the bottom third of the order.
The second half, though, fell apart. In 175 at-bats, he hit .171/.281/.257.
September was especially rough: he went 4-for-54 with 19 strikeouts.
Even with all the offensive issues, Collins wasn’t empty-handed when it came to value. He led MLB left fielders with 11 outfield assists and committed just two errors all season, one in left field and one at second base.
So while his defense in left may have felt shaky at times, the numbers say he was fairly dependable out there. That defensive work helped push him to a 0.4 WAR, which was more than some might have expected.
His Outs Above Average checked in at -2, while his arm value was +2, essentially balancing out. Collins will get another shot next season, but with some younger players waiting in the minors, he’ll need to do more than this if he wants to hold that spot.
In Other News...
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The timing matters because the Royals are moving toward a winter that should demand real roster work, with free agency and qualifying-offer decisions coming into focus after the World Series. Kansas City is expected to be active in the market, and the front office will have to balance the star power already in place with the kinds of additions that can help the club keep building around Witt and the rest of its core. [Read more 🡒]
Seth Lugo Just Became A Real Royals Rotation Problem
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Now the bigger issue is what comes next, because Lugo is owed $21.5 million in 2027 under the extension already on the books. That kind of commitment gives the Royals a decision to make about whether they believe a rebound is coming or whether this is the start of a tougher conversation about his place in the rotation, and possibly beyond Kansas City altogether. [Read more 🡒]