The Kansas City Royals' #1 stated goal this offseason has always been to re-sign left fielder Alex Gordon to a multi-year deal. However, with Gordon's price being driven up by a wealth of contenders looking for outfield help, utility man Ben Zobrist appears to be a more viable option for the club going forward.
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick reports that the Kansas City Royals front office is "privately more optimistic" about the team's chances of re-signing Zobrist than bringing either Gordon or SP Johnny Cueto back in free agency.
Zobrist, 34, has made it clear that he wants to return to the Royals after being traded to team from Oakland before July's MLB Trade Deadline. However, teams such as the New York Mets are already registering interest in the veteran, so the Kansas City front office may have to decide whether they're going to push all-in on Zobrist within the next few days or so.
Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star countered recently that it's "realistic" that the team could miss out on both Gordon and Zobrist, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily likely. Zobrist's versatility and discounted overall price tag (compared to Gordon) makes him a very intriguing re-signing candidate going forward.
Changing gears to Johnny Cueto, the Arizona Diamondbacks are discussing the possibility of signing the 29-year-old righty. The Royals appear to have written off a reunion with Cueto, preferring to focus on lower-tier free agent starting rotation options.
Follow our Kansas City Royals team page for the latest Royals rumors!
Back to the Kansas City Royals Newsfeed