Royals Rumors: Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas on the radar

Our latest Royals rumors could be huge for the team. Dayton Moore on 810 WHB stated the Kansas City Royals will try to get Eric Hosmer signed before looking into Mike Moustakas.

The plan for the Kansas City Royals this offseason has been confusing, but the latest Royals rumors bring some clarity. On sports radio 810 WHB this morning, KC general manager Dayton Moore made it clear both Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas are on their radar. It looks like the team is making a big push now.

Specifically, Dayton Moore told 810 that Eric Hosmer is the focus of their efforts right now. Moore said they would focus on Hosmer before dealing with Mike Moustakas. Granted, neither player returning is guaranteed yet. This does indicate that both players are on the radar though.

This isn’t really a surprising development, given how the offseason has played out for the two free agents. Neither Eric Hosmer or Mike Moustakas has found much of a market this year. In fact, Moustakas doesn’t seem to have attracted any attention at all, and may have to turn to a one-year deal.

"We want to make it very clear that Hos is the player that fits us for the future....I want to get through the Hosmer negotiations first before we deal with Moustakas." - Dayton Moore on @SportsRadio810
— Royals Review (@royalsreview) February 5, 2018

On the other side, Eric Hosmer has had a couple of suitors, but the Royals appear to be the top team in a slow market. Kansas City has recently made a couple of moves that could make it easier to sign Hosmer to a long-term deal. It seems now that Hosmer’s agent is simply trying to argue out specific terms.

The Best Possible Situation?

“We want to make it very clear that Hos is the player that fits us for the future….I want to get through the Hosmer negotiations first before we deal with Moustakas.” – Dayton Moore

Prior to this offseason beginning, the biggest argument in favor of the Kansas City Royals moving on from their core group was their limited assets. The Royals farm system is lacking in top tier talent, and overall depth. At the same time, it was widely believed that they couldn’t afford to re-sign their top free agents.

However, with Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas both looking much more affordable right now, the situation has changed. The Royals would have gotten some compensatory picks for Hosmer and Moustakas if they signed elsewhere. However, in baseball the draft isn’t as reliable as it is in football. So the chances of getting adequate talent turnover weren’t great.

If the Royals can afford to retain both Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas over the next several years, that actually may be the better option. Kansas City already knows the talent those players have. Instead of trying to replace them, KC could actually look to continue building around them.

Don’t Expect Much Now

However, even if the Kansas City Royals are able to re-sign both Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas now, don’t expect an immediate payoff. The Royals still have plenty of work to do with their roster. However, knowing which pieces you have to build around is definitely an advantage there. Dayton Moore can turn his focus to complimentary pieces.