The Kansas City Royals have one of the worst offenses in the league. They rank 27th in OPS (.662), 21st in batting average (.243) and last in both home runs (58) and runs scored (287). They’re also mired in fourth place in the American League Central with a 40-47 record.
If the Royals want to make it back to the postseason for a second consecutive year, they need to upgrade their lineup drastically. And, according to The Athletic’s MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, Kansas City is interested in Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds, a two-time All-Star.
“Talks between the clubs have yet to commence in earnest. The Royals, last in the majors in runs per game, are looking at a number of other hitters,” Rosenthal reports. “But Reynolds, 30, could make particular sense for Kansas City, assuming he continues his recovery from a poor start.”
Reynolds had a paltry .644 OPS at the end of April with just three home runs, but he has gotten back on track. He posted a .732 OPS in May and .772 in June, while raising his home run total to 10.
Overall, he’s slashing .237/.301/.393 with a 91 OPS+ and minus-0.4 bWAR in 82 games for the 38-50 Pirates.
“If Reynolds is still the above-average offensive player he was from 2021 to ’24, then he is underpaid relative to the free-agent market,” notes Rosenthal. “But if he is not, the $74 million he is owed from 2026 to ’30 could become problematic rather quickly. His deal also includes a $2 million buyout on a $20 million club option for 2031.”
The Royals have just two players with double-digit home runs (Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino) and an OPS above .800 (Witt and Maikel Garcia). They recently called up top prospect Jac Caglianone to provide a boost to the offense, but he’s hitting just .144/.194/.237 with two home runs in 26 games.
Reynolds would be a positive presence in Kansas City’s lineup, but they would need more bats if they’re looking to play in October. Across seven seasons in Pittsburgh, Reynolds has posted a .273/.347/.462 line, with a 120 OPS+, 132 home runs, and a 19.2 bWAR.
