New team enters the Juan Soto fray

The Royals have reached out to Juan Soto this offseason, writes Jon Heyman of the New York Post .

It doesnt appear talks got far, as Heyman unsurprisingly adds that Sotos asking price is out of Kansas Citys comfort zone.

At the start of the offseason, Heyman reported that a pair of small-market teams were among 11 clubs to reach out to Soto.

The Rays were quickly reported as one of those suitors, and it seems the Royals were the other.

In any case, theres nothing to suggest either Tampa Bay or Kansas City has shown more than cursory interest.

The teams known to have met with Soto the Mets, Yankees, Blue Jays, Red Sox and Dodgers are all big-market franchises.

The Phillies hadnt scheduled a meeting with Soto as of Tuesday, though theyre also expected to sit down with the star outfielder and agent Scott Boras at some point.

The Royals were surprisingly active spenders last winter.

Kansas City committed upwards of $110M in free agency, headlined by deals for Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha.

Those contracts worked out incredibly well.

Lugo finished second in AL Cy Young balloting.

Wacha continued to post quality mid-rotation numbers.

He opted out of the second season of his first K.C.

contract before returning to the organization on a three-year, $51M deal.

Kansas Citys biggest investment came on the eve of spring training, as they extended franchise shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.

on an 11-year deal that guaranteed him nearly $289M.

Witt turned in an MVP runner-up showing as Kansas City surprisingly snapped a nine-year playoff drought.

Witts contract is easily the biggest deal in franchise history.

Sotos asking price is surely more than double that.

While theyre not going to get the markets top free agent, the Royals could be involved on anyone else in the outfield class.

Anthony Santander, Teoscar Hernandez, Tyler ONeill and Jurickson Profar are candidates for three- or four-year contracts.

Itd be a surprise if anyone from that group reached nine figures, though Santander has an outside chance.

K.C.s corner outfield tandem of MJ Melendez and Hunter Renfroe is very weak for a contender, making that an obvious area for the front office to upgrade.

This article first appeared on MLB Trade Rumors and was syndicated with permission..

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