The Kansas City Royals have been one of the most active teams in the AL Central this offseason-and arguably, one of the most strategic. They’ve tackled key needs head-on, shoring up the outfield by trading for Isaac Collins and signing Lane Thomas, while also reinforcing the bullpen with the return of Matt Strahm and the addition of right-hander Nick Mears.
It’s been a clear statement of intent: this team isn’t standing still. But just as the momentum from the Winter Meetings seemed to be building toward a potential splash move-a trade that could elevate the lineup and calm any lingering fan anxiety-reports surfaced that Kansas City might be facing a familiar small-market hurdle: payroll constraints.
According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Royals may need to shed salary in order to land one more bat. That’s no small task for a club already operating with one of the league’s lower Opening Day payroll projections and without any true albatross contracts weighing them down.
This is the modern financial landscape for small-market franchises-especially with the uncertainty surrounding media rights and revenue streams. So if the Royals are serious about adding a player like Jarren Duran or Brendan Donovan, they’ll need to get creative. That means identifying players who can be moved without significantly weakening the roster, while also freeing up enough salary to make a difference.
Let’s take a closer look at a few names that could be on the move if Kansas City decides to make room for one more big bat.
Kris Bubic - LHP
Projected 2026 Salary: $6 million
If you’re looking for a player who could bring back value and trim payroll, Kris Bubic checks just about every box.
The left-hander is coming off an All-Star campaign in 2025, posting a 2.55 ERA and a 2.89 FIP over 116.1 innings across 20 starts. When healthy, he’s been lights out-building off a dominant bullpen stint in 2024 that saw him emerge as one of the American League’s most effective relievers.
But health and durability remain the big question marks. Bubic hasn’t topped 130 innings in a season and hasn’t had a fully healthy year since 2022. He’s also entering his final year of team control, and for a team like Kansas City that’s always mindful of long-term cost, he doesn’t scream “extension candidate.”
Given the current market for starting pitching, the Royals should have no trouble finding a team willing to bet on Bubic’s upside. The bigger question is whether that team is willing to pay for the 2024-25 version of him-while Kansas City quietly wonders if the injury bug will strike again.
Bailey Falter - LHP
Projected 2026 Salary: Modest
Kansas City acquired Bailey Falter at the 2025 trade deadline, but his brief stint in Royal blue didn’t exactly inspire confidence. He posted an 11.25 ERA and 5.22 FIP over just 12 innings before a late-season injury cut his campaign short.
Falter was more of a volume arm in Pittsburgh, tossing a career-high 142.1 innings in 2024. That kind of reliability has value-especially for teams looking to fill out the back end of a rotation.
But the Royals are past the point of simply eating innings. They’ve built up enough depth to aim higher, and Falter doesn’t offer the kind of upside that justifies a guaranteed roster spot.
He’s also out of minor-league options, which complicates things further. Kansas City is already managing a tightrope act with their bullpen flexibility heading into 2026, and carrying a fringe starter without options puts added pressure on roster construction.
Trading Falter wouldn’t drastically alter the Royals’ outlook on the field, but it would clear a few million off the books and open up a roster spot. Another club might see untapped potential in Falter, but for Kansas City, the fit just isn’t as clean.
Jonathan India - 2B
Projected 2026 Salary: $8 million
This is the big one. If Kansas City is serious about creating space for a lineup-altering bat, Jonathan India might be the most logical piece to move.
The Royals raised eyebrows when they signed India to a one-year, $8 million deal earlier this offseason. It wasn’t just the price tag-it was the timing. India was coming off the worst season of his career, and while the second base market wasn’t exactly deep, the decision to commit that kind of money to a player in transition was a gamble.
India bounced around the infield during his first year in Kansas City before settling back into his natural position. But even then, he never quite found his footing.
He wasn’t bad-but he wasn’t clearly better than the internal options, either. He landed in that frustrating gray area: too solid to bench, not impactful enough to build around.
There’s also the human element. Adjusting to a new team and a shifting role isn’t easy, and India’s struggles weren’t entirely about performance. But when you zoom out and look at the numbers-and the salary-it becomes clear why his name keeps coming up in trade speculation.
If the Royals want to make room for a true difference-maker at the plate, India is the cleanest path. Trading him wouldn’t gut the roster, would free up a sizable chunk of payroll, and would open the door for younger, cheaper infielders already waiting in the wings.
The Bottom Line
The Royals have put together a smart, proactive offseason. But if they want to take that next step-if they want to add one more bat that could reshape the lineup-they’ll have to make some tough decisions.
Kris Bubic, Bailey Falter, and Jonathan India all offer different paths to freeing up payroll, each with their own risks and rewards. But if the end goal is adding a player who can truly move the needle offensively, the Royals may have no choice but to deal from areas of depth.
For a small-market team trying to punch above its weight, these are the kind of calculated moves that can make all the difference.