Blue Jays $150 Million 'Trade Candidate' Could Be Dream Addition For Royals

Even though the Kansas City Royals are on a tear, their outfield is still a bit of a hot mess.

Entering play on Wednesday, Royals outfielders have combined for -1.1 fWAR, ranking dead last in Major League Baseball. And even after a recent surge on offense, those outfielders have only seven home runs, posting a combined OPS of .590.

While top prospect Jac Caglianone is an exciting possible addition, the 22-year-old is learning outfield for the first time and is still two levels below the big leagues. The Royals' outfield shortage may be too desperate to simply depend on Caglianone to fix instantaneously.

Fortunately, one expensive veteran whose team is in early danger of slipping out of playoff contention may present a solution.

FanSided's Edward Eng recently speculated that the Toronto Blue Jays could trade four-time All-Star outfielder George Springer, whose $150 million contract runs through the 2026 season. Springer, if the Royals could afford to take on his contract, might be a game-changer in Kansas City.

"While's Springer isn't due to hit free agency until the end of next season, the 35-year-old veteran could become a candidate to be moved at the trade deadline if the Jays aren't able to turn things around," Eng wrote.

"Not only could Springer serve as a leader for whatever team acquires him, but he's also looking more and more like a legitimate offensive piece that could help length a contender's lineup."

After a few seasons where it looked like he was in decline, Springer has been fantastic this season. His .316 batting average, .960 OPS, and 13 extra-base hits all lead the team. He's also on pace for a near five-WAR season, after only 1.1 bWAR in 2024.

The Royals' best bet might be to pay a premium in terms of prospect capital, including one of their top catching prospects and another high-upside piece, to convince Toronto to eat some of Springer's money. That will likely only work if the Jays have no other suitors willing to take the full value of the deal.

We're not going to sit here and pretend like Springer is definitely going to be a Royal by the start of August. But it's something to keep in mind if all the dots connect over the next two-and-a-half months.

More MLB: $1.4 Million Veteran Has Been Royals' 'Most Impactful' Addition, MLB Writer Declares