The Kansas City Royals improved by 30 wins in 2024 and made the playoffs after an eight-year drought. Their core of young stars is led by shortstop Bobby Witt Jr, who finished second in American League MVP voting. They must surround him with talent to make the most of his long-term commitment to the team. But this offseason has been quiet so far. Who should the Royals add in free agency this offseason? Jose Quintana and Yoan Moncada should be among the options

The biggest move the Royals have made this offseason was a trade for Jonathan India. They gave up starting pitcher Brady Singer to grab the infielder from the Cincinnati Reds. Other than that, the roster is relatively the same with Seth Lugo's big extension and no other trades. That is why they must take advantage of the available free agents late in the offseason.

The Royals have the opportunity in a wide-open American League to make a run with great free-agency moves. Here are four they should consider making.

Yoan Moncada mans the hot corner

Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoan Moncada (10) singles in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

The Royals had Mikael Garcia play most of their games at third base last year but he is primarily a second baseman. But with India in the fold to play second, they should get a true third baseman to shore up their infield defense. Yoan Moncada would be a great option after his run with the White Sox ended.

Having Garcia as a utility bench player would be a much better way to build the lineup for the season. Moncada has not lived up to his top prospect billing after being traded for Chris Sale but is a professional third baseman. As of now, the Royals do not have a professional third baseman. A one-year deal would be a great way to solve that problem and get a veteran at third.

Jose Quintana finishes off the Royals' rotation

The Royals made the playoffs last year in part because of their young pitching rotation. They have five starting pitchers on the roster who started last year. Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Michael Lorenzen, Kris Bubic, and Cole Ragans make a very good rotation. But injuries need to be considered and Jose Quintana would be a great fit to fill the sixth-starter role.

Quintana had a great year with the New York Mets last season and should get a solid deal in free agency. The Royals also have a staff known for getting the most out of pitchers with checkered pasts. Seth Lugo was a solid reliever who could not break the rotation with the Mets a few years ago. Now, he is a bona fide starter. It would not be crazy to expect similar numbers with the Royals that he put up in 2024. He had a 3.75 ERA in 31 starts.

Whit Merrifield makes a triumphant return

Whit Merrifield was a key player for the Royals from 2016 to 2021. He racked up a 17.1 bWAR in those seven years, made two All-Star teams, and manned multiple positions. After a few years bouncing between Toronto, Philadelphia, and Atlanta, he is a free agent this year. The Royals could slide Garcia to third permanently and make Merrifield their utility man off the bench.

Bringing back a fan favorite can work when it is in a limited role. What Royals fans do not want to see is Merrifield come back and get too many at-bats and struggle. But in a bench role where he plays once per week, he could thrive. It did not work for him with the Phillies last year but his numbers with the Braves were slightly better. In 42 games he had a 92 OPS+ in Atlanta compared to a 62 in 53 games in Philly.

The Royals boost the bullpen with David Robertson

Over the past 16 years, David Robertson has been a solid to great relief pitcher. Even at 40 years old, he should be considered as a top-flight option for the Royals. They have a solid bullpen but could add a veteran arm to stabilize the back end. This would be another one-year deal to help the Royals in 2025.

There are a lot of teams in the American League who will be uncompetitive in 2025. Plus, the Orioles and Astros got worse on paper. It is a wide-open race and the Royals still have the White Sox to inflate their record. Robertson is one of many moves that they should make to stay competitive and potentially make a surprising run in the postseason.