Kansas City Royals: 10 free agents who would make sense in KC

Main Target: Travis Shaw, 1B/3B, Toronto Blue Jays

In 2017 and 2018, Shaw corked a combined 63 home runs for the Milwaukee Brewers. He also hit 57 doubles and scored 157 runs while slashing .258/.347/.497 for a .844 OPS, 20 percent above the league average.

But Shaw’s career came crashing down in 2019 when his power vanished in limited playing time. In just 86 games, he slashed a woeful .157/.281/.270 as his OPS dropped to 55 percent below league average.

Last season, after a change of scenery to the north of the border, Shaw rebounded–a little bit. Shaw, 30, hit only .239 but raised his OBP by 25 points. More importantly, his slugging percentage jumped back up to .411. Sure, that’s still a ways off from his 2017-2018 seasons, but it’s a heck of a lot better than .270.

Now, after Toronto didn’t offer him a contract, Shaw hits the open market as a player who can man second- and third-base while, of course, also capable of DH’ing.

He may have to settle for a one-year prove-it deal to show the league that his short rebound last year wasn’t the fluke, but that 2018 was the fluke.

And if we know anything about the Royals, it’s two things: 1) The Royals love them some dudes who can play multiple positions, and 2) they’re big fans of that one-year prove-it deal.

Alternative Target: Brad Miller, IF, St. Louis Cardinals

Another player looking to prove it? Brad Miller, who started hot for the Cardinals in 2020 before dipping a bit toward the end.

For the season, Miller, who once hit 30 homers in a season for the Rays, slashed .232/.357/.451 for an offense that struggled to score most of the year. But while Miller’s on-base percentage rose from 2019, a season split between Cleveland and Philadelphia, his slugging percentage dipped by more than 100 points.

Maybe the 2020 version of Miller, 31, is more on par for what he’ll be going forward. That would be a nice, versatile piece for the Royals to utilize off the bench, perhaps for longer than just 2021.