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Blue Jays Gold Glover Would Be Strong Fit For Royals In Free Agency

Originally posted on Kansas City Royals on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Oct 30, 2025 10:59 AM ET

The Kansas City Royals need impact bats this winter, but they shouldn't neglect the defensive side of the ball, either.

While generally a strong defensive team, the Royals struggled mightily to field the second-base position. Much of that was due to trade acquisition Jonathan India, who tallied negative-6 outs above average when he played there (and negative-14 overall).

Cutting bait with India, who could be due roughly $10 million in arbitration this season, should be on the Royals' offseason agenda. And if they do pull the trigger on that move, they should prioritize defense at second base from a potential platoon partner for returner Michael Massey.

To those ends, one option for the Royals is currently one win away from winning his first World Series ring.

Royals should pursue Isiah Kiner-Falefa

Toronto Blue Jays utility infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa isn't a superstar by any means, but he's proven throughout his career that as long as he's not being counted upon to be an everyday shortstop, he's a very impactful two-way player.

On the surface, Kiner-Falefa's offensive numbers aren't that impressive (.631 OPS, 76 OPS+). But he provides pesky at-bats at the bottom of the order, averaging 144 hits per 162 games in his career and providing 91st-percentile whiff rate this season.

Kiner-Falefa won his one career Gold Glove at third base with the Texas Rangers in 2020. But in general, second base seems to be his strongest defensive position nowadays, and the fact that he can shift to third or shortstop would be a plus for the Royals in an emergency scenario.

If Kiner-Falefa is looking for the same two-year, $15 million contract he got from the Blue Jays before the 2024 season, he's probably not a budget fit for Kansas City. But there's a good chance he could be cheaper, because this was one of his worst offensive seasons, and he was even waived by the Pittsburgh Pirates at summer's end.

It could be a transformative offseason for the Royals on many fronts, but they can't neglect the search for quality role players. Kiner-Falefa has the chance to be a bargain for someone this winter.

This article first appeared on Kansas City Royals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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