J.J. Picollo Reveals Royals' Greatest Roster Need This Offseason

Kansas City Royals general manager J.J. Picollo isn't shying away from one of the team's major weaknesses that came back to haunt them as they finished the year with a disappointing 69-93 overall record that kept them out of the playoffs.

According to ESPN, the Royals executive acknowledged the lineup's shortage of right-handed hitting which became clear as they finished 19th in the league against left-handed pitching.

"Right-handed stands out," Picollo said. "We have a lot of left-handed hitters, particularly in the outfield, so a right-handed-hitting outfielder would be really helpful, especially if they can play center field a little bit."

Lane Thomas and Maikel García were Kansas City's only right-handed hitters who showed any semblance of consistency. Across 97 games as a Royal, the 31-year-old Thomas slashed .232/.326/.393 while driving in 37 runs and owning a .719 OPS. Meanwhile, García hit .268 and recorded 38 RBI. The Royals can look forward to having him around through at least 2030 after he signed a five-year extension in December 2025.

Thomas' time with the organization came to an end near the Aug. 3 trade deadline as Picollo shipped him off to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for minor-league pitching prospects.

Nonetheless, a reunion is certainly on the table with Thomas entering the free agent market after spending just 21 games in a Braves uniform in which he hit .171 before his season was cut short due to a left intercostal muscle strain.

The Royals would also be wise to consider former San Diego Padre Ty France who is coming off a strong season that saw him hit .295 and record an impressive .865 OPS in 133 games. Picollo could make an even greater splash by going after Japanese slugger Teruaki Sato. Sato batted .306 and drove in 106 runs for NPB, figures that ultimately resulted in him winning the NPB Triple Crown last season.

Ian Happ could be another possible target as he is not that far removed from a solid 2025 season where he hit .243 and drove in 79 runs. His switch-hitting capability already gives him a major plus.

In an AL Central that will be up for grabs next season, Kansas City cannot afford to stand pat in the coming months. While they can still count on Bobby Witt Jr., veteran Salvador Perez's age showed this year despite him surpassing George Brett's franchise home run record. Furthermore, both Isaac Collins and Kyle Isbel had underwhelming performances with Isbel slashing a career-worst .224/.268/.323 at 29 years old.

For now, Picollo will have to bank on resurgences from core guys while also hoping that young hitters like Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone keep bringing the heat in the batter's box.