Kansas City Royals: Three bold predictions for Winter Meetings

On Sunday, the annual Winter Meetings begin, and the Kansas City Royals’ brass will look to make some more moves–or at least to grease the wheels.

The Kansas City Royals have had an active offseason so far. The team reunited with LHP Mike Minor on at least a two-year deal that could stretch into 2023, and also signed outfielder Michael Taylor. Following that, the Royals had decisions to make on whether to offer contracts to several players or to let them enter free agency. Some players returned, but others, like Bubba Starling (for the time being, at least) and Maikel Franco hit the market.

Now, it’s time for the Winter Meetings, this year, of course, to be held virtually instead of taking place in Dallas as originally planned.

What’s next for Dayton Moore and the Kansas City Royals? Even if no deals get made during the Meetings, expect the groundwork to be laid and for deals to consummate a bit after the Meetings’ conclusion.

Here are three bold predictions for the Royals during this year’s virtual shindig.

Bold Prediction No. 1: Extend a Core Member

There are four different “core” members of this team I can see Dayton Moore trying to extend during the Winter Meetings, two of whom are in the last year of their deals and the other two with a couple of years of arbitration remaining.

Let’s start with the big fish: catcher Salvador Perez. Are you surprised Perez’s six-year deal is up after 2021? I am. Time flies, man.

Regardless, Perez could hit the open market this time next year if he and the Royals don’t come to some sort of extension. It would be entirely weird, and sad, to see Perez donning a different uniform. Hopefully, Moore recognizes that and can ink the beloved backstop to a reasonable deal.

Then there’s slugger Jorge Soler. The Royals were able to agree to a one-year deal with Soler recently, but that was it as far as arbitration-eligible years for the right fielder/designated hitter. Now he can hit free agency in 2022 and earn generational wealth.

Well, maybe. He’s signed for a hair over $8 million coming off a season in which he saw a decrease in each of the following categories: on-base percentage, slugging percentage, average, OPS, OPS+. Perhaps teams look at his 2019 instead, the year he led the American League in homers with 48 while posting a .922 OPS, 38% above league-average.

Expect Moore to take advantage of last year’s dip and strike with a deal around four or five years that may be too tantalizing for the 28-year-old to pass.

Next, there’s starting pitcher, and the team’s ace, Brad Keller, who turned 25 in July. Keller has two years of arbitration left after 2021, so there probably isn’t a rush to extend him. He’ll earn $3.35 million this year.

With another solid performance, that number should jump, but still be incredibly reasonable for the Royals to afford. And yet, Keller’s performed quite well since joining the team in 2018, proving his worth, proving he can anchor a rotation, and proving he can eat innings while limiting the opposition. He’d be great to keep around for the foreseeable future.

Finally, the wild card: shortstop Adalberto Mondesi. Like Keller, Mondesi has two years left of arbitration before he hits free agency. Honestly, that may be the perfect time for him to do so, as every team that missed out on next year’s free-agent shortstops may be foaming at the mouth to sign who’s next available.

Mondesi certainly turned it up last season and finished with 24 stolen bases to go with 20 extra-base hits. He still doesn’t get on base that much (.294 OBP clip in 2020, which was actually higher than in 2019). The dude’s as streaky as it gets, though. If Moore’s good with that, though, a long-term deal should be reached.

Hey, I just realized Keller and Mondesi were born on the same day. Weird.