Report: Four core Royals players likely to hit free agency after contract talks stall
The Kansas City Royals may be facing a serious exodus at season’s end.
According to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports, four Royals players who are set to become free agents after the season – Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, and Alcides Escobar – are likely to hit the open market. A source told Heyman that there is no evidence that contract talks are progressing with any of the four players.
The Royals are optimistic about retaining one or two of the players, with first baseman Hosmer their top priority. Hosmer is regarded as the “golden boy” of the organization, but the two sides failed to reach a deal when discussions opened early in spring. Hosmer has said he is unwilling to negotiate once the season starts, considering it a distraction.
One of the four players has expressed a desire to stay with Kansas City, but the finances won’t make it possible to retain all four. They’d probably all like to stay, but we may be watching the end of this iteration of the Royals in 2017.
