The Royals are heading into an offseason with a clear list of problems, and the latest episode of “One Royal Way” zoomed in on the kinds of moves that could help fix them in 2027.
Host Joel Penfield made pitching the centerpiece of the conversation. In his view, Kansas City could use one or two starting pitchers to help settle the rotation, and he floated Kevin Gausman, Casey Mize and Shota Imanaga as possible free-agent fits. He also pointed to Foster Griffin as a name worth watching, especially after the left-hander found success in Japan.
The bullpen came up as another major issue, and one that clearly needs attention after it hurt the Royals in 2026. Penfield mentioned Adrian Morejon as one of his favorite potential targets because of what he has done recently, while also bringing up Alex Vesia and Jonathan Loáisiga as other possibilities.
Even so, he stressed that one offseason move alone probably won’t be enough there. Kansas City, he said, will likely have to mix free-agent additions, trades and internal improvement to put together a dependable relief group.
Behind the plate, Penfield suggested the Royals should look for a veteran backup catcher to ease Salvador Perez’s workload. He said Perez could move into more of a primary designated hitter role while Jensen takes on a bigger share of the catching duties.
The outfield also needs help, and Penfield named Randy Arozarena as a player who could make sense for Kansas City. He cited Arozarena’s power and speed as traits that could deepen the lineup and lift the offense.
Penfield’s bottom line was straightforward: the Royals need to be aggressive in finding real impact talent, but they also need to avoid expensive deals that don’t solve the team’s biggest holes.
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