"The New York Post's Jon Heyman reports this morning that the Royals "remain interested" in signing Austin Hays, despite having recently acquired outfielders Isaac Collins and Lane Thomas. This lines up with previous reporting suggesting that president of baseball operations J.J. Picollo is still searching for upgrades after his outfielders finished last in MLB in runs scored, RBI, on-base percentage, OPS, wRC+, and FanGraphs WAR in 2025. Heyman first connected Hays and the Royals earlier this month."
"In contrast to the Royals, the Yankees led the majors in most offensive categories from the outfield this past year, including runs scored, home runs, RBI, all three triple-slash metrics, wRC+, and fWAR. Bellinger was a key contributor to that effort, and it's no surprise the Bronx Bombers would love to team him up with Aaron Judge and Trent Grisham once again."
Royals continue pursuing Austin Hays despite acquiring Isaac Collins and Lane Thomas, signaling a broader search for outfield upgrades after a historically poor 2025 outfield performance. The Royals' outfield ranked last in runs scored, RBI, on-base percentage, OPS, wRC+, and FanGraphs WAR. The Yankees have checked in on Hays but prioritize re-signing Cody Bellinger as their top target, having led MLB outfield offense across many categories in 2025. Hays would not necessarily be an upgrade for New York given Jasson DomÃnguez's upside and Amed Rosario's roster role, making Yankees interest possibly contingent or precautionary.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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