Major League Baseball’s annual “hot stove” season officially fired up on Thursday afternoon with the start of free agency. More than 160 free agents hit the open market and became eligible to sign with any team, including the Kansas City Royals.
The Royals began their overhaul midseason with trades that sent away veteran players such as Andrew Benintendi, Cam Gallagher, Whit Merrifield and Carlos Santana, as well as youngster Emmanuel Rivera, followed by the dismissals of former president of baseball operations Dayton Moore in September, then manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Cal Eldred in October.
The Royals hired a new manager in Matt Quatraro, and the search for a pitching coach is ongoing.
