Outfielder Hunter Renfroe and reliever Chris Stratton triggered participant choices of their offers with the Royals, experiences Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (X hyperlinks). Kansas Metropolis declined its finish of a mutual choice on infielder Adam Frazier, per Feinsand. In different Royals’ information, lefty reliever Josh Taylor elected free company, based on the MLB.com transaction log. Kansas Metropolis evidently ran him by means of outright waivers as an alternative of reinstating him from the 60-day injured checklist.
All three choice choices went as anticipated. Renfroe, Stratton and Frazier every signed as free brokers final winter. None had a very good season. That made it an easy name for the gamers who might return to go on their possibilities to retest the market, whereas the entrance workplace had a equally straightforward name to maneuver on from Frazier.
Renfroe returns on a $7.5MM wage. He’ll look to enhance on this yr’s middling .229/.297/.392 slash line. Renfroe hit 15 homers however reached base at lower than a .300 clip for a second consecutive season. It was a substitute stage efficiency altogether. He’ll be penciled again in because the beginning proper fielder for the second, however the nook outfield is a transparent space for the entrance workplace to attempt to improve.
Stratton secures a $4.5MM wage. His deal contained a $500K buyout, in order that was a $4MM name. The veteran right-hander would most likely be restricted to minor league provides if he had been a free agent. He struggled to a 5.55 earned run common by means of 58 1/3 innings this previous season. It’s not a assure that the Royals maintain him on the roster all winter. In the event that they do convey him again, they’ll hope to get one thing nearer to the 82 2/3 innings of three.92 ball that he supplied the Cardinals and Rangers in 2023.
Frazier will get a $2.5MM buyout as an alternative of an $8.5MM wage. The previous All-Star second baseman hasn’t hit a lot since being traded from Pittsburgh to San Diego in 2021. That continued throughout what appears prefer it’ll be his lone season in Kansas Metropolis. Frazier hit .202/.282/.294 whereas showing in 104 video games. Michael Massey outplayed him to take the second base job. Frazier may have to accept a minor league cope with a Spring Coaching invite this winter.
As for Taylor, this successfully serves as an early non-tender. He was eligible for arbitration for a ultimate time. Whereas he was projected for a modest $1.1MM wage, the Royals didn’t need to create a 40-man roster spot after he missed the complete 2024 season. Taylor misplaced this yr to a biceps damage and has additionally struggled with again points in recent times.
