Local

Winter Meetings are underway. See 5 updates on the Kansas City Royals so far

Stories by Kansas City Star journalists, with AI summarization

Leadership from the Kansas City Royals and 29 other MLB teams has gathered in Orlando for this year's Winter Meetings, where executives can discuss trade options and possible free-agent moves and speak to reporters about their offseason plans.

Do the Kansas City Royals have their eyes on any top targets? We know they're targeting at least two areas to add to the squad for 2026. And they also got some good news regarding the MLB Draft lottery, as KC moved up to the No. 6 spot in a fortunate twist.

What's next for the team? Follow our beat reporter Jaylon Thompson and check out some of our recent Royals coverage...

J.J. Picollo, Kansas City Royals general manager, during a news conference at Kauffman Stadium. By Emily Curiel

NO. 1: THE ROYALS HAVE MADE KEY TRADES BEFORE. WILL THEY SWING ONE AT WINTER MEETINGS?

Kansas City Royals general manager J.J. Picollo isn't afraid to make a deal. | Published December 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jaylon Thompson

Major League Baseball commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. announces the pick for the Kansas City Royals at the 2024 MLB Draft at Cowtown Coliseum on July 14, 2024 in Fort Worth, Texas. By Richard Rodriguez

NO. 2: ROYALS JUMP 10 SPOTS IN MLB DRAFT LOTTERY. THEY’LL HAVE A TOP-10 PICK NEXT YEAR

The Kansas City Royals got a little lucky during the 2026 Major League Baseball draft lottery on Tuesday night. | Published December 10, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jaylon Thompson

General Manager J.J. Picollo of the Kansas City Royals makes remarks during the introduction of Matt Quatraro as new manager of the team at Kauffman Stadium on November 3, 2022 in Kansas City. By Ed Zurga

NO. 3: WHAT I’M HEARING ABOUT THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS AT DAY 2 OF MLB WINTER MEETINGS

The Winter Meetings continue to roll along this week in Orlando, Florida. | Published December 10, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jaylon Thompson

NO. 4: ROYALS FACE IMPORTANT DECISION WITH MANAGER MATT QUATRARO. HAS HE EARNED NEW DEAL?

Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro sat calmly as he fielded questions from reporters at the Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida, on Monday. He was a seasoned pro. | Published December 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jaylon Thompson

Connor Dawson, formerly a coach in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, has been hired as a Kansas City Royals assistant hitting coach ahead of the 2026 MLB season. By Emilee Chinn/file photo

NO. 5: ROYALS’ NEW ASSISTANT HITTING COACH IS FROM KC — AND RECEIVED STRONG ENDORSEMENT

When the Kansas City Royals hired Connor Dawson as an assistant hitting coach this offseason, Milwaukee Brewers skipper Pat Murphy wasn’t surprised. | Published December 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jaylon Thompson

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.