MLB rumors: Royals fans won’t love latest Jarren Duran, Brendan Donovan trade update

The Kansas City Royals have made moves this offseason to try and jumpstart their offense. One of those changes includes literally shifting where the fences are located at their home stadium. Kansas City is also pursuing some bats ahead of the 2026 campaign with trade talks.

A new report is throwing cold water on the Royals’ pursuit of both Brendan Donovan and Jarren Duran. It appears Kansas City won’t be landing either of those players in a trade.

“The Kansas City Royals are increasingly unlikely to land either of the two hitters they pursued in trades: the St. Louis Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan and Boston Red Sox’s Jarren Duran,” The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported.

The Cardinals have made it no secret this offseason that Donovan is available for a trade. The Pittsburgh Pirates were one of the teams on Donovan early, but those talks increasingly look like they have faded. Duran has also been the target of some teams, including Kansas City.

Kansas City finished the 2025 season with an 82-80 record. The Royals missed the postseason.

Royals are hoping to surge ahead in the 2026 season

Kansas City struggled to hit during this last MLB season. The Royals finished 26th in MLB in runs scored as well as home runs, per league stats.

As a result, Kansas City wasn’t able to make the postseason. The Royals have been aggressive in pursuing players this offseason, so there’s no doubt that Kansas City fans must be disheartened to hear this latest news.

Kansas City is sticking by their manager Matt Quatraro for the 2026 campaign. Quatraro got a contract extension from the Royals this offseason. He has helped guide Kansas City to back-to-back winning seasons, including a postseason appearance during the 2024 campaign.

“When we think about our team, where it is right now, stability is very important to the organization. I think what [Quatraro] has done over these last three years, and looking at our roster for the coming years, I think it’s important that stability in the managerial position is in place. With [Quatraro], we have a lot of trust in what he does. We know he’s the right man for the job, and we’re proud to have him back for the coming years,” team general manager J.J. Picollo said, per MLB.com.

Kansas City fans hope for a successful 2026 campaign.

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