Royals Rumors: Team could bring back Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas

KANSAS CITY, MO - APRIL 05: Eric Hosmer #35 and Mike Moustakas #8 of the Kansas City Royals pose with their World Series Championship rings prior to a game against the New York Mets at Kauffman Stadium on April 5, 2015 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Mets defeated the Royals 2-0. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/TUSP/Getty Images) /

Royals rumors are going to be hot and heavy this offseason, but no names will be bigger than Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas. Could the Kansas City Royals retain both players?

We’ll all be getting tired of hearing Royals rumors linking Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas to other teams, but one analyst – former New York Mets general manager and MLB.com columnist Jim Duquette – predicted both guys to stay members of the Kansas City Royals. That’s refreshing to see!

Duquette went through what he thought were the top 25 free agents this offseason and predicted their landing spots. He had Hosmer and Moustakas staying in Kansas City to continue their careers as members of the Royals.

Here is what Duquette said about both players.

The question now is can the Royals afford to keep the two?

"HOSMER:Any team looking for a vocal leader with postseason experience, as well as a middle-of-the-order bat, should have interest in Hosmer. Given his age relative to the rest of the class, he’ll likely get a longer deal, possibly seven years at $20 million per season.MOUSTAKAS:A lack of demand for third basemen hampered Justin Turner‘s earning power to some extent last offseason, but Moustakas should command a sizable contract in the $100 million range over five or six years.More from KC KingdomWin $650 GUARANTEED Plus $100 Off NFL Sunday Ticket With Caesars, FanDuel and DraftKings Kansas Promos!This Plus-Money Bobby Witt Jr. Prop Bet is on Fire (Hit in 15/21 Games)!How to Bet on the Chiefs vs. Cardinals in NFL Preseason Week 2The Royals Need to Extend Bobby Witt Jr. ImmediatelyThe 3 Most Intriguing Games on the Chiefs’ Schedule"

Duquette also listed other teams who will likely be interested in both Hoz and Moose. For Hosmer, it was the Mariners, Mets, and Red Sox while Moustakas had a longer list with the Angels, Cardinals, Mets, Phillies, and Yankees.

Fans would love to see Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas return to Kansas City to finish their careers with this franchise, but is it realistic? That’s what remains to be seen. Duquette noted that both players would command a large chunk of change, so the question now is can the Royals afford to keep the two?

Duquette had Lorenzo Cain on this list as well, but had him inking a deal with the San Francisco Giants. He did have the Royals as an interest for Cain, however, so that’s good to see, though not surprising in the least bit.

The Royals rumors are going to be flowing constantly these next few months, but wouldn’t it be something if the Kansas City Royals could keep two of their biggest stars? That’d have to pump the fan base up and give the city hope that the Royals will continue to compete and contend for the postseason.

What do you think, Royals fans? Is it realistic for the team to re-sign both Hosmer and Moustakas?

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