Until this week, the Kansas City Royals appeared as though they were planning to go into spring training without any further additions this winter, but on January 29, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the team had broken their silence. With a new acquisition in Carlos Estévez, Kansas City is in a strong position to take on the AL Central this season, exciting fans just in time for Royals Rally this weekend.
From official deal announcements to free agent contract offers, here is a Kansas City news roundup for February 1.
KC Royals News: Royals made $66 million contract offer to outfielder Anthony Santander
After the woeful offensive production from their outfield last season, the Royals have been linked to a number of potential targets in free agency this winter. One of those was slugger Anthony Santander, and on January 31, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that the Royals had indeed pursued him before he signed with the Toronto Blue Jays.
“The Kansas City Royals made Santander a three-year offer and increased it to $66 million, according to sources briefed on the talks,” Rosenthal reported. “But by the time they presented Santander with their enhanced proposal, which included an opt-out after the second year and deferrals that were still being negotiated, he had committed to the Blue Jays.”
Santander ended up signing a five-year, $92.5 million contract with the Blue Jays on January 20, and while the Royals have since signed reliever Estévez out of free agency, they are yet to acquire outfield reinforcements.
Going into spring training, the Royals’ expected starting outfielders are MJ Melendez, Kyle Isbel, and Hunter Renfroe, who combined to hit an underwhelming .221/.284/.386 line across 1,249 plate appearances while playing the outfield last season.
KC Royals News: Newly-official Carlos Estévez will join team at Royals Rally
Two days after the news broke that the Royals had acquired closer Estévez, the team officially announced the deal on January 31, confirming that it’s a two-year contract with a club option for the 2027 season. They followed the announcement with another post on social media welcoming the 32-year-old to Kansas City, and confirmed that Estévez will be attending Royals Rally — an annual preseason fan event — this weekend.
Estévez will join a slew of other Royals confirmed to be attending the event, including Bobby Witt Jr., Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Cole Ragans, Lucas Erceg, Kyle Wright, Michael Massey, and newly-acquired Jonathan India, among others.
We have signed RHP Carlos Estévez to a two-year contract with a club option for 2027.
In a corresponding move, INF Braden Shewmake has been designated for assignment.
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) February 1, 2025
KC Royals News: Braden Shewmake designated for assignment mere weeks after being claimed off waivers
In order to officially add Estévez to the 40-man roster, the Royals had to make a corresponding move to make space. Unfortunately for infielder Braden Shewmake, that meant his time in Kansas City was over before it began.
On January 31, the Royals announced that Shewmake had been designated for assignment, just 23 days after claiming him off waivers from the Chicago White Sox.
One of the top prospects going into the 2019 MLB Draft, Shewmake was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the first round with the 21st overall pick. He made his major league debut with the team in May 2023, but after appearing in just two games — and failing to get a hit in four plate appearances — he was traded to the White Sox at the end of the season.
Last year in Chicago, the 27-year-old hit a disappointing .125/.134/.203 line with 1 home run, 4 RBI, and 5 stolen bases in 67 plate appearances, leading to the White Sox designating him for assignment on January 1. He was claimed by the Royals on January 8.
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