Kansas City Royals: 2020 free agent options, Part II: Batters

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 27: Alex Gordon #4 of the Kansas City Royals and general manager Dayton Moore embrace before the game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Kauffman Stadium on April 27, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by John Sleezer/Getty Images) /

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David Freese #23 of the St. Louis Cardinals (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Realistic Targets: Infielders

Brian Dozier, 2B (33)

Dozier would be returning to the American League Central if he signed with Kansas City. He spent the first six-and-a-half seasons of his career with the Minnesota Twins, making one All-Star team and winning one Gold Glove. He also hit 42 home runs in 2016 and 34 in 2017.

During the 2018 season, the Twins traded Dozier to the Dodgers, for whom he badly struggled. In 47 games with the National League champs, Dozier slashed a woeful .182/.300/.350 for an OPS 22 percent below league average.

In January, he signed a one-year, $9 million deal with the Washington Nationals, and while his OPS isn’t quite back to league-average, he’s performing much better, slashing .237/.341/.432.

Most likely, he’ll hit the market once again after the year is through. If the Royals move Merrifield somewhere else on the diamond (or, you know, trade him) and aren’t sold on Lopez and/or Arteaga at second, Dozier makes sense as, at the very least, a placeholder. He would also be able to add his postseason experience to that of Salvy’s, and maybe Gordon’s.

Plus, this would give the Royals two players with the last name Dozier.

Lucas Duda, 1B (34)

Just kidding.

David Freese, 1B (37)

Freese, the hero of the 2011 World Series for the St. Louis Cardinals and a native of Wildwood, Mo., has reached that dreaded point in a veteran’s career where he seems to bounce from team to team every season. After leaving the Cardinals in 2013, he’s played for three different teams in the past six seasons: the Angels, Pirates and Dodgers.

This year, he’s appeared in only 70 games for the Dodgers, but he’s made the most of it. He’s slashing .306/.405/.618 for an OPS of 1.023, which is 66 percent about league average. He has 23 extra-base hits to get with 23 walks while he’s scored 34 runs and driven in another 29. A former third baseman, Freese has appeared in 42 games at first for the NL West-leading Dodgers.

Before landing McBroom, signing Freese made much more sense. It still does if the Royals decide to bail on McBroom in favor of O’Hearn, and couple O’Hearn with a veteran platoon bat to face left-handed pitchers. Freese is making under $5 million this season, and could be had for even less than that in 2020.

Others to Consider: Shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria (31) and second baseman Howie Kendrick (36).

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