Jul 12, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of Kauffman Stadium before a game between the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

Royals’ Latest Trade Adds Much-Needed Lineup Flexibility

Originally posted on Kansas City Royals on SI
By Curt Bishop | Last updated Dec 13, 2025 7:01 PM ET

The Kansas City Royals have been busy this week. On Thursday, they took their first step towards improving their offense for 2026, signing Lane Thomas to a one-year, $5.25 million contract.

But they still needed to add one more bat, this time via trade. On Saturday, they did just that, adding Isaac Collins in a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Also headed to Kansas City is right-hander Nick Mears.

The Royals are sending left-hander Angel Zerpa to Milwaukee. Finally, the Royals have added a second bat, and their lineup should be in much better shape as they head into the 2026 season.

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Royals Latest Trade Adds Lineup Flexibility

The Royals needed two outfield bats to strengthen their offense for 2026. Thomas was the first step, and now they have Collins in the mix.

Collins was a Rookie of the Year candidate with the Brewers. He’s a solid contact hitter from both sides of the plate and can fill the Royals needs in the outfield.

He hit .263/.368/.411 with nine home runs, 54 RBI, 16 stolen bases and a .779 OPS. Now, the Royals have a lot of flexibility in their lineup.

Collins could potentially provide an upgrade at the leadoff spot over Jonathan India, who struggled in 2025. This trade also didn’t force the Royals to give up any of their top starting pitchers.

They can move India down in the lineup or potentially make another trade while Collins sets the table at the top, and they’ll have Thomas protecting Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino in the heart of the lineup.

The Royals still have the starting pitching depth to land another bat if they need to. Teams have shown interest in Noah Cameron, and they could spare an arm to land more offense and give themselves a better chance to compete for the playoffs in 2026.

But for now, they at least have a team that can compete for a Wild Card spot. It will be interesting to see what else J.J. Picollo might do with the roster for the rest of the offseason.

The Royals have tackled two very important needs and have given their lineup a lot more depth, which bodes well for 2026.

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

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