The Royals are reportedly not expected to trade for Duran or Donovan.
The Kansas City Royals were linked to potential trades for stars Jarren Duran and Brendan Donovan earlier in the MLB offseason. However, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic is now reporting that the possibility of Kansas City acquiring either player is "increasingly unlikely."
Duran and Donovan are still trade candidates. Boston is expected to compete in 2025 but moving on from Duran may still be an option for them.
The Red Sox have other areas of uncertainty on the roster to address. Boston also has a plethora of starting pitching depth at the moment. The Red Sox could decide to package Duran and a starter in a possible trade package. Unless something changes, though, the Royals likely won't be the trade partner.
A Cardinals' Donovan trade may be even more realistic. St. Louis is in the middle of a rebuild. The Cardinals have already traded Nolan Arenado, Sonny Gray and Willson Contreras this offseason. They do not have to trade Donovan, but a deal would not be surprising to see come to fruition. With that being said, the Royals likely won't be acquiring him either.
The Royals' offense will primarily stem from their infield if they don't make any other additions, as Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia, Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino are four of the best hitters on the team. The outfield has serious question marks, but a breakout season from Jac Caglianone is certainly a possibility.
Will Royals Make More Moves in the MLB Offseason?
So, will the Royals make any other moves this offseason?
Kansas City may end up bringing in another reliever or two. The starting rotation would also benefit from at least one more arm. However, the team is not being linked to any remaining star free agents.
Their primary hope to acquire a star was seemingly through trade, but now it seems Kansas City may not end up landing a star in a deal. Anything can happen, though. Rosenthal's report stated that a Royals' potential trade for Duran or Donovan was "unlikely," not completely out of the question.
Still, fans should not expect any other especially significant additions ahead of spring training. If the Royals find themselves in contention in July, a big more or two before the trade deadline will become realistic. Fans may need to wait a few months before Kansas City looks to impact the roster in an attention-catching manner through a trade.