The Royals and outfielder Lane Thomas are in agreement on a one-year deal. The Wasserman clients $5.25MM with another $1MM available via incentives. Will Sammon of The Athletic first reported that the two sides were in agreement. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported the financial details. Kansas City has a couple of open 40-man spots and won’t need to make a corresponding move.
Thomas and the Royals will be looking for a bounceback season, as he just suffered through an injury-marred 2025 campaign. Early in the season, he missed about a month due to a right wrist bone bruise. In the latter months of the season, he went on the injured list a couple of times due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He required surgery in September with a projected recovery time of three to four months. Around those IL stints, he got into 39 games and hit just .160/.246/.272.
Prior to that, he had a solid run as a decent regular in the bigs. From 2021 to 2024, he got into 510 contests, hitting 67 home runs and stealing 66 bases. He produced a .248/.313/.426 line over that four-year span, which translated to a 103 wRC+.
He was slightly better in the second half of that stretch. Over 2023 and 2024, he hit 43 home runs and stole 52 bases. His combined .255/.312/.439 line in those two seasons translated to a 105 wRC+. FanGraphs credited him with 4.3 wins above replacement, a bit better than two wins per year.
His defense has been more of a question mark. Outs Above Average has given him a minus-16 ranking for his career, but oddly considered him league average in center and subpar in the corners. Defensive Runs Saved has put a minus-18 mark on him, but most of that due to an odd minus-13 grade in 2024 alone.
He clearly has some wheels, as his sprint speed has been ranked in the 93rd percentile or above since he became a regular. With a bit of pop in the bat as well, he has been able to engineer some decent results when healthy.
More to come.
Better be a minors deal. This isn’t going to solve KC’s glaring outfield issue.
I jumped on here to say the SAME EXACT THING! KC has a poor outfield unit year in and year out…
Lane Thomas DID NOT look good last year!
I don’t like this signing at all for the Royals…
His agent was on a recent MLBTR podcast and said something to the effect of “Lane is going to be just fine”. So I’d be surprised if it’s not a guaranteed deal.
He seems like a good 4th outfielder.
Great minds think alike. And so do ours!
Would be a nice 4th outfielder.
I kind of like this signing. Guy was injured the whole year, could possibly bounce back. Brutal park to hit in, but I like him as a player. Maybe a platoon option to plug and play with, and there could still be a bigger signing still in the works
This is a solid move if the price is right. He probably needs a LH compliment, but it wouldn’t have to be a strict platoon.
He was very good a couple years ago….
“We have Mike Yaz at home”
I would be suprised if this is the only signing.