Kansas City Royals: Evaluating the 2017 Payroll

Solutions for the Kansas City Royals to Cut Payroll

If Dayton Moore and the KC Royals are serious about cutting payroll, the solutions aren’t exciting. The core group of players that have given us so many great moments may need to be broken up sooner rather than later.

Solution One: Stand Pat

Bite the bullet and deal with the large payroll. If the Royals think this team, which isn’t much different than the one that won it all in 2015, can make another run, then keep this team together one more year.

Since it is unlikely the team will be hit as hard by injuries as they were this season, a bounce back is not out of the question.

Of course, counting on two pitchers coming off major injuries like Mike Minor and Vargas is a big gamble.

Solution Two: Bye-Bye, Morales

Simply don’t make the qualifying offer to Kendrys Morales. It will cost the club a draft pick if he goes elsewhere but it saves $16 million immediately. The payroll will drop closer to last year’s total, though still high.

Replacing that power in the middle of the lineup probably won’t happen, but maybe just having Cain and Moustakas healthy should help.

Solution Three: Trade Depth

The KC Royals have depth in a couple of places. Cheslor Cuthbert showed he can play every day, and Kelvin Herrara could take over as the closer. Trading Davis and/or Moustakas may not be ideal since the team would be trading low since both dealt with injuries in 2016.

Cuthbert and Herrara, though, don’t offer the same talent as that of Davis and Moustakas, and the bullpen would need to be strengthened. That would also further damage the Royals’ power capabilities.

Still, dealing these two for some players close to major league ready would help cut $18 million. Combine that with no Morales, and the payroll drops to around $124 million.