The Kansas City Royals have a clear position to address this offseason: designated hitter. Kansas City's designated hitters combined for a .610 OPS in 2026, one of the worst marks at the position in the American League.
Moving Salvador Perez into a full-time DH role could help improve that production while reducing the physical demands that come with playing the field at age 36.
Perez appeared in 152 games this season, hitting .229 with a .274 on-base percentage, 21 home runs and 78 RBIs across 580 at-bats. His .657 OPS fell short of what Kansas City needs from him, but the power is still there. Typically as hitters enter their late-30s, the power tends to fall off.
Perez became the franchise's all-time home run leader earlier this year and extended his franchise record with his 10th career 20-homer season. The production has not disappeared. The question is whether reducing the physical toll of catching and playing first base can help him get back closer to the hitter he once was.
The Toronto Blue Jays used George Springer at designated hitter as part of managing his workload in 2025 and 2026, completely limiting his defensive duties. It paid off in a big way. In 2025, Springer finished seventh in AL MVP voting.
Kansas City could take a similar approach with Perez. It is not a perfect comparison, but it shows how a club can manage an established veteran's defensive workload without removing him from the equation entirely.
A full-time DH assignment would not guarantee a rebound, but it would give Perez a better chance to not only stay available, but to also remain fresh throughout a long season. It would also create more opportunities behind the plate for Carter Jensen, who emerged as one of the better rookie catchers in baseball this year with 27 home runs and 81 RBIs.
Jensen is clearly the future at the position in Kansas City, and giving him more consistent playing time while keeping Perez's bat in the lineup could serve both players well. Jac Caglianone could also take over primary duties at first base while freeing up a spot in the outfield.
The Royals finished 69-93 and last in the AL Central, 16 games behind the division-winning Cleveland Guardians. Their offense needs to improve if they are going to return to contention.
Perez at DH, Jensen behind the plate and a younger option splitting catching duties gives the Royals a chance to get more offensive production without spending a dime.