KC Royals Rumors: Reported Interest in Mark Canha Reveals Offseason Roster Plan
By Joe Summers
We may have some insight into the Kansas City Royals' roster plans for a massively important offseason.
Versatile veteran outfielder Mark Canha joined the Detroit Tigers this week, though the Royals were allegedly interested in acquiring Canha's services as well.
Not only does that indicate the front office's willingness to spend, but it also sheds light into what kind of player J.J. Picollo intends to pursue.
Royals' Reported Interest in Mark Canha Reveals Offseason Roster Plan
According to @Feinsand the #Royals were in on trading for Mark Canha before he was dealt to DET. So that seems to be the profile of outfielder they're looking to add.
— Josh Keiser (@joshkeiser40) November 9, 2023
Guys with similar profiles that could be had: Taylor Ward, Tommy Pham, Aaron Hicks.https://t.co/ynDSFZAkz9
MLB Network insider Mark Feinsand reported that the Royals were in trade talks with the Milwaukee Brewers before the Tigers absorbed Canha's $11+ million salary in a deal.
As Feinsand writes, the Royals "liked Canha's .355 on-base percentage and the quality of his at-bats, as he ranked in the top 25% of the league in chase percentage, whiff percentage and strikeout rate."
That sounds like the exact kind of player who emulates the style of the 2014 and 2015 teams: get the ball in play and see what happens.
"The Royals ranked 13th in the AL with a .303 on-base percentage," notes Feinsand. "Kansas City will seek to add at least one batter with on-base skills to help remedy that issue."
As Josh Keiser of KCSN notes in the tweet above, there are several available players that fit the same mold as Canha. Taylor Ward, Tommy Pham, and Aaron Hicks have all flashed strong potential with an ability to get on base.
Give it up for Tommy Pham, everybody 👏 pic.twitter.com/0HDHit6p2o
— New York Mets (@Mets) July 8, 2023
Given Kansas City's speed and versatility, it makes sense to acquire players who compliment the skillset of the current roster.
This is the most important offseason for the Royals in recent memory. At the least, I'm encouraged by the reported plan and am optimistic that Kansas City will field a much-improved roster in 2024.
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