This offseason feels like a high-stakes chess match across Major League Baseball. The Kansas City Royals, Arizona Diamondbacks, and a handful of other clubs are aggressively probing the market for impact bats and versatile defenders.
Kansas City’s chasing Jarren Duran and Brendan Donovan. Arizona’s facing a delicate decision on Ketel Marte, and there’s a lot of intrigue around Japanese slugger Munetaka Murakami.
Front offices are maneuvering for both 2025 contention and long-term control. Nobody wants to blink first.
Kansas City Royals: Aggressive, Targeted, and Willing to Deal
The Royals aren’t sitting on their surprising 2024 progress. They’ve already added Lane Thomas and traded for Isaac Collins, but the outfield still feels a bat short of playoff-ready.
The focus is on players who fit their emerging identity: versatile, athletic, and under club control. They’re not interested in rentals or quick fixes.
Royals’ Interest in Jarren Duran and the Cole Ragans Dilemma
Jarren Duran sits at the top of Kansas City’s wish list. The price, though, is the sticking point.
Inside the front office, the Royals believe the Boston Red Sox would ask for left-hander Cole Ragans as the centerpiece of any deal. That’s a line Kansas City doesn’t want to cross.
They see Ragans as a potential Game 1 postseason starter—the kind of arm small-market teams have to build, not buy. Boston reportedly views these talks as informal for now, but the valuations are obvious: Duran’s upside is high, but Kansas City isn’t eager to sacrifice its potential ace.
If the Royals somehow land Duran, the outfield could look like this:
Brendan Donovan, Three-Way Deals, and a Crowded Market
St. Louis Cardinals utility man Brendan Donovan is another Royals target. The competition is fierce, with the Seattle Mariners and San Francisco Giants both showing interest.
A three-way trade seems like the most realistic path for Kansas City here. Donovan’s ability to play all over and grind out quality at-bats makes him the type of player contenders crave, so the price will be steep.
Isaac Collins, Jonathan India, and the New-Style Royals Lineup
In the meantime, Kansas City thinks it might have found a gem in Isaac Collins. He’s a switch-hitter with defensive flexibility, posted a .779 OPS last season, and draws internal comparisons to former Royals standout Whit Merrifield.
The Royals see Collins as part of a larger platoon puzzle alongside Jonathan India and Lane Thomas. Possible roles include:
The club recently extended Maikel Garcia on a five-year, $57.5 million deal, making him a long-term infield cornerstone. They also traded reliever Ángel Zerpa for Collins and right-hander Nick Mears, signaling a front office intent on converting bullpen depth into multi-positional value.
Arizona Diamondbacks: Balancing Ketel Marte’s Value and Clubhouse Dynamics
While Kansas City hunts for additions, the Arizona Diamondbacks are weighing whether one of their cornerstone players is worth more on the field or on the trade market. After signing Merrill Kelly and Michael Soroka, Arizona strengthened its rotation depth, which makes the idea of moving second baseman Ketel Marte slightly easier to entertain.
Ketel Marte’s Trade Market and Internal Risk
Marte remains one of the most appealing trade chips in the league. He’s a switch-hitting second baseman with power, on a team-friendly contract, and has a track record of premium offensive production.
Recent clubhouse issues have complicated his standing, so Arizona’s at least listening on offers. The Diamondbacks won’t move him lightly.
They want a significant return, ideally centered on young pitching, to further fortify a rotation that could carry them deep into October. Marte’s no-trade list—which includes five teams—adds another layer of complexity, limiting the most aggressive suitors.
If Arizona trades Marte, they face a tough internal question: who plays second base? Current options are largely unproven, and replacing his bat in that lineup spot would be extremely difficult.
International Market and Other Notable Rumblings
Beyond North America, the international market could reshape several lineups, especially in the infield and corner power spots. Japanese stars are drawing heavy MLB interest again, but there’s a notable difference in how teams view the top options.
Munetaka Murakami, Kazuma Okamoto, and Emerging Infield Stories
Japanese free agent Munetaka Murakami stands out as one of the most intriguing unknowns of this winter. His reputation? Elite raw power, no doubt about it.
Still, scouts can’t help but worry about his high strikeout rate. Will that hold up against MLB velocity and sharper breaking balls? Nobody really knows yet. His destination remains a question mark, and teams seem split—some want to chase the upside, others flinch at the risk.
On the other hand, Kazuma Okamoto comes across as a safer bet to a lot of evaluators. He’s got a more balanced offensive game and fewer red flags when it comes to making contact.
If a team misses out on the bigger domestic names at first or third, Okamoto feels like a natural Plan A—or at least a pretty solid fallback.
Elsewhere around the league:
Here is the source article for this story: What I’m hearing about the Royals’ interest in Jarren Duran and more MLB notes
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