Kansas City Royals: Best free agent signings under Dayton Moore

BEST DAYTON MOORE FREE AGENTS – NUMBER 2: KENDRYS MORALES

After the 2014 season, it was evident that the Kansas City Royals were going all in for the 2015 season. After all, they came up just 90 feet short of tying Game 7 of the World Series but ended up losing.

The sting of that World Series loss forced the Royals to add help through free agency. Billy Butler wasn’t retained after the 2014 season and fans weren’t all that excited when they learned who his replacement was going to be.

The replacement was Kendrys Morales, a guy who was infamously known for shredding his knee after celebrating a walk-off grand slam with the Angels. Morales hadn’t been the same type of player since that injury, but the Royals took a chance on him and gave him a two-year deal worth $17 million.

It’s safe to say that without Morales in 2015, the Royals wouldn’t have gotten to where they did. Of course, that was the case with most of the team, but Morales slashed .290/.362/.485 with 22 home runs and 106 RBI and earned the Silver Slugger that year.

It’s safe to say that without Morales in 2015, the Royals wouldn’t have gotten to where they did.

Morales hit three home runs in the ALDS against the Astros and another one in the ALCS. He didn’t do a ton in the World Series, but to be fair, he had to sit out for three games due to playing at a National League park.

In 2016, Morales’ batting average declined, but his home run total went up. He hit 30 dingers that year, but his .263 batting average (and early season struggles) weren’t enough for the Royals to retain him. He inked a three-year deal with Toronto worth $33 million.

I remember not being all that excited when the Royals signed Kendrys Morales in the 2015 offseason, but he ended up being a difference-maker for the team. He’s easily one of Dayton Moore’s best free-agent signings.