The Royals spent 2026 trying to patch together an outfield, and the result was exactly what the season felt like everywhere else: thin, uneven, and too often exposed. Even with Jac Caglianone taking a real step forward, Kansas City never found the kind of dependable depth it needed around him. By the end of the year, the group had settled into one clear identity - a weak spot the Royals have to attack this offseason.
That’s what makes the grade sting. As a unit, the outfield gets a D.
It clears the bar technically, but barely. And that grade is propped up almost entirely by Caglianone, whose breakout was the one thing keeping the conversation from getting even uglier.
The rest of the room never came close to matching that level.
The Royals tried to address the problem last offseason by bringing in Lane Thomas, Starling Marte, and Isaac Collins, but those moves never gave the club the boost it wanted. Thomas was later traded to the Atlanta Braves, Marte was released in mid-August, and by the end of the season the outfield was in disarray. With Angeibel Gomez still at least a full season or two away, the organization is staring at a 2027 reset whether it wants one or not.
Caglianone’s season is the reason the outfield wasn’t a total disaster. After an awful 46 wRC+ last year, he looked overmatched and lost.
This time, he settled in. His .289/.340/.494 slash line in 512 at-bats made him one of the Royals’ best hitters and the clear headliner in the outfield.
His plate discipline still needs work, but the bat took a huge leap. If the glove comes with it, the Royals have something real in right.
If not, first base may be the answer.
John Rave at least forced his way into the picture. He doesn’t have Caglianone’s arm, but he brings much better defense, including +3 Outs Above Average in a little over 350 innings.
The 28-year-old also showed enough with the bat down the stretch to make himself part of the 2027 conversation. After his second call-up of the season, he got steadier run in the final two months and finally found some rhythm in September, hitting .254/.353/.458 with three homers and three doubles in 59 at-bats.
He’s not going to anchor a lineup, but he earned more runway.
Collins, meanwhile, fell apart when the Royals needed him most. Kansas City acquired him from the Milwaukee Brewers last December with the idea that he could serve as a useful stopgap while the prospects developed.
He arrived with 2.6 fWAR in 2025 and enough bat-to-ball pop to look like a sensible fit. Instead, his year slid hard in the wrong direction.
He looked fine early, then seemed to catch something in July with three home runs and 10 RBIs, only to crater after that. His .171 batting average and .538 OPS in 175 second-half at-bats left his future with the club hanging in the balance.
Kyle Isbel’s year unraveled too. He opened April on a high note with an .813 OPS, but the momentum didn’t last.
He finished with just 0.1 fWAR in 100 games, the worst season of his six-year career. The defense, normally a calling card, also slipped after a Grade 3 tear of his left plantar fascia in June cost him nearly two full months.
With -4 Defensive Runs Saved in 2026 and younger options like Carson Roccoforte and Luke Pelzer waiting, his place with the Royals may be running out.
In Other News...
Royals Offseason Wish List Just Got Tougher In One Key Spot
The Royals are already mapping out a rotation upgrade this winter, and two of the most intriguing names on the board are Michael King and Robbie Ray. Neither would come with the extra draft-pick baggage that can make free agency trickier for a smaller-market club, which matters when Kansas City is trying to add pitching without overextending itself. It is the sort of practical offseason shopping list that makes sense for a team looking to sharpen its staff while keeping long-term costs in view.
Seiya Suzuki is a different kind of fit, and potentially a far more complicated one. Kansas City has interest in the Cubs outfielder, but Chicago is expected to extend a qualifying offer, which could leave the Royals weighing the player against the draft-pick compensation attached to signing him. For a team that has been careful about those tradeoffs, that wrinkle could wind up shaping how aggressive it can really be in the market. [Read more 🡒]
Patrick Mahomes Pick Has Chiefs Fans Arguing Over Who Failed Him
Patrick Mahomes had a throw go the wrong way during the Chiefs-Seahawks game, and the result immediately turned into one of those plays that gets replayed from every angle. The interception led to a Seahawks touchdown, but the bigger conversation quickly became less about the score and more about who should wear the blame for the mistake.
Fans and analysts split over whether Mahomes put the ball in a tough spot or whether receivers Jalen Royals and Xavier Worthy could have done more to challenge it. The debate centered on the quality of the throw and the effort on the route, and like so many Chiefs controversies, it left room for two very different readings of the same snap. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Offseason Pressure Just Shifted To One Crucial Month
The Royals offseason may look cloudy on paper, but the calendar is still pointing to a busy stretch before things potentially shut down. With the current MLB collective bargaining agreement set to expire in December and a lockout likely to begin Dec. 1, the real work is expected to happen in November, when teams around the league usually try to get transactions done before the freeze arrives.
Kansas City general manager JJ Picollo has already signaled the club intends to be active during that window, which puts added weight on the next few weeks for a front office that knows timing could matter as much as target. Even with the looming labor uncertainty, the Royals appear prepared to keep moving, because the chance to finish deals now may be more valuable than waiting for a market that could soon go quiet. [Read more 🡒]