Why the Kansas City Royals could look a bit different when spring training ’24 arrives
The Kansas City Royals will chart an interesting course this offseason.
Royals general manager J.J. Picollo recently outlined three broad areas — starting pitching, relief pitching and hitting — in which the club will seek to make additions to its current roster.
It’s an ambitious plan: The hope is to add two starting pitchers, multiple experienced relievers and possibly an impact bat in the outfield.
Becoming more competitive ahead of the 2024 season is the name of the game.
“Just talking to players at the end of the year, I think they are in agreement with us that the performance needs to be better,” Picollo told The Star earlier this month.
The Royals won’t have to wait long to fill their needs. After the conclusion of the World Series, Major League Baseball officially transitions to the 2023 offseason with an eye toward 2024.
Here’s a look at some key phases for the looming offseason:
Free agency begins
Players with expiring contracts will become free agents. Meanwhile, players with varying contract options can decide whether to become free agents.
During a five-day period following the conclusion of the World Series, contract options can be exercised. There are club, player, mutual and vesting options. Players cannot sign with new teams until the five-day window has passed.
MLB clubs can also utilize this period to make qualifying offers to their own free agents. If a qualifying offer is applied, the player has until Nov. 15 to decide whether to accept or reject the offer.
Additionally, a team can “non-tender” specific players on its 40-man roster. If a player is not eligible for free agency, he can be non-tendered. This means he will not be offered a contract and will thus become a free agent.
The non-tender deadline is Nov. 17.
The Royals have a few notable free agents, including veteran pitchers Zack Greinke and Brad Keller and infielder Matt Duffy. All three are set to hit the open market. Greinke is expected to mull his options and has potentially pitched his last game in a Royals uniform.
Picollo didn’t specify a payroll number for the 2023 offseason. But he did note that the Royals have around $30 million coming off the books.
Major-league teams can also initiate offseason trades, and the Royals will no doubt explore this means of improving the roster. Remember, they added Cole Ragans, Nelson Velázquez and James McArthur in midseason deals this year.
Offseason meetings
The Royals have several young players on the rise. Picollo especially likes the growth shown this season by infielders Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino and Michael Massey.
But improvements could be made virtually anywhere on the board. Free-agent signings and trades can happen at any moment during the offseason.
All clubs’ top executives will gather multiple times to discuss various topics. Their first such opportunity is the Nov. 7-9 MLB General Manager Meetings in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Then come the MLB Winter Meetings. This year, that annual event will take place Dec. 3-6 in Nashville. Team executives, scouts and minor-league personnel will convene to discuss league business.
Signings and trades are not uncommon at baseball’s Winter Meetings. Oh, and the annual Rule 5 Draft is slated for Dec. 6.
Arbitration
This is an important offseason phase for all MLB teams. And the Royals have a handful of players who are eligible to utilize baseball’s arbitration process.
Players are eligible for salary arbitration if they have less than six years of MLB service time but have played three or more years. If the player hasn’t agreed to a contract by a mid-January date, he can negotiate his contract in front of a panel of arbitrators.
The player will present a salary and the club will do the same. Both salary figures will be heard by the arbitrators in February. The arbitrators will then decide whether to side with the player or the club — there is no in-between salary negotiation once a player goes to arbitration.
Most teams want to avoid arbitration, preferring to get a deal worked out before things reach that point. That means both sides agree to a fair deal based on a player’s overall value.
It’s possible a player could see a reduction in salary. MLB rules state that any salary reduction cannot exceed a 20% cut.
Spring Training
The Royals return to Surprise, Arizona for spring training in a few months. Once again, this will be a critical time for club brass to evaluate the 2024 roster.
Pitchers and catchers report in early February. Other players on the roster typically report a short time later. The Royals are scheduled to play their first Cactus League spring game against the Texas Rangers on Feb. 23.
“We are not going to settle,” Picollo said. “We don’t like talking about this in these terms, but when guys have options, we have opportunities to find players who can beat them out for positions.”
Spring training offers players an opportunity to break camp with the Royals’ big-league club. New acquisitions will be looking to get settled in as returning players are working to secure roster spots.
The Royals’ 2024 season opener is set for March 28 against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium.
