SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.
One year ago, in the months after a World Series championship, the Royals’ brain trust charted the course for the offseason and outlined a plan for its three outfield spots.
The club would elect to let Alex Rios walk into free agency and insert a combination of Jarrod Dyson and Paulo Orlando in right field. The maneuver would free up money to re-sign left fielder Alex Gordon to a four-year, $72 million deal.
The gambit would offer mixed results in 2016 — Dyson and Orlando delivered stellar defense and serviceable production while Gordon struggled mightily under the weight of a new contract.