5 blockbuster moves the Royals must make this offseason ft. Signing Jack Flaherty

The Kansas City Royals were one of the darlings of baseball last year. After losing around 100 games, they were a surprise playoff team and even got a first-round upset win before falling in the ALDS. The future is bright, and here are five moves they need to make to access that bright future.

What the Royals must do now

5) Extend Jonathan India

Jonathan India should be extended (Imagn)

The Royals made the blockbuster move to trade for Jonathan India. They sent Brady Singer, once one of their top pitching prospects, in exchange. That depleted their rotation a bit, but it strengthened their infield.

The Royals aren't exactly a team that can take rentals right now, so it behooves them to extend India. He's under contract through 2025, so this is now a contract year. Either he plays well and increases his price tag or he leaves in free agency and the trade isn't as beneficial. The solution is to extend him right now.

4) Sign Alex Verdugo

The Royals should sign Alex Verdugo (Imagn)

The Royals need a left fielder. MJ Melendez is currently the starter, but he's one of the worst defenders in baseball. He does not have a good enough bat to truly offset that, so they should sign Alex Verdugo.

The left fielder didn't have the best year with the New York Yankees, but he is a marked defensive upgrade with strong bat-to-ball skills.

3) Sign Yasmani Grandal

The Royals should look into Yasmani Grandal (Imagn)

The best available catcher, Yasmani Grandal would make a lot of sense for the Royals. Their depth chart is made up of Salvador Perez and Freddy Fermin. Perez, at age 34, probably doesn't have a ton of catching left in him.

If the Royals want to preserve his legs and keep his bat, moving him to first base or the full-time DH makes the most sense. That opens a spot behind the dish, and Grandal would be a good short-term veteran addition.

2) Sign Jeff Hoffman

The Royals should go after Jeff Hoffman (Imagn)

The Royals could use a reliever. Their bullpen wasn't as strong last year, and it's currently made up of just seven arms. That can't be the case come Spring Training, and Jeff Hoffman would be a great addition.

The former Philadelphia Phillies reliever isn't a closer, but that's not what Kansas City needs. They need someone to pitch high-leverage spots, and Hoffman can do that as well as anyone on the market. He'd make a good partner to Lucas Erceg.

1) Sign Jack Flaherty

As mentioned, the rotation was a little depleted by the exodus of Brady Singer. They have a spot available, and the rotation was a major strength last year. To make sure it stays that way and perhaps gets even better, Kansas City needs to sign Jack Flaherty.

The injuries he's had are mostly a thing of the past, and he showed last year that he's healthy and can be dominant. At just 29, he is young enough to fit right into the Royals' window right now.

About the author

Zachary is a journalist covering NFL, Professional Golf, esports, and Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda. He has a degree in writing/editing from Southern Adventist University (USA), and in his spare time, he likes to play games such as Minecraft, Pokémon and Fortnite, or watch sports.

Ever since he was a youth football wide receiver, Zachary has been an avid NFL fan. He loves the Carolina Panthers, with Cam Newton being his all-time favorite player (with respect to the close second, Steve Smith). If you ever meet Zachary, prepare to hear all about how underrated Newton was and how he single-handedly dragged the Panthers to Super Bowl 50.

Zachary is also a big fan of top golfers like Tiger Woods, Wyndham Clark, and Scottie Scheffler. He enjoys watching them and hopes that Woods can return to form soon and win again.

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Edited by Rajdeep Barman