Marcus Stroman set for free agency; Top 5 landing spots

4. Kansas City Royals

The Royals could find themselves in a similar spot as the Cubs did when they originally signed Stroman to a deal back in 2021. Even though Chicago at the time wasn’t ready to push for a playoff spot, Stroman offered an innings-eater at the top of the rotation that could eventually turn into a trade chip down the line when the team was ready to compete. While the trade never materialized for the Cubs as they focused on a playoff run in 2023, the Royals could follow suit as the team begins to enter the middle-to-end of their rebuild and seem to be a season or two away from a chance at capturing the division.