Major League Baseball’s offseason has officially kicked into gear, and with it comes the annual frenzy of roster shuffling. Teams across the league are evaluating their strengths and weaknesses and identifying moves that could push them closer to contention in 2026.
Every front office understands that the road back to October begins in November and December, and while the most dramatic headline-grabbing deals often come later in the offseason, early action can be just as revealing. Some clubs are looking for impact stars, others are searching for depth, and still others are attempting to reshape their culture entirely.
Two teams that fall into that category—organizations that were competitive at times but ultimately fell short of postseason expectations—are the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants. Both franchises entered the offseason with reasons for optimism but also clear gaps in their roster construction.
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Kansas City has developed one of the most exciting young position players in the sport, while San Francisco is transitioning into a new era under recently hired leadership. Neither team was satisfied with simply being “close” to the playoffs last year.
With that mindset, the Royals and the Giants came together on one of the first trades of the offseason, a deal that is not necessarily flashy but signals that both teams are focused on long-term improvements and roster flexibility.
“The San Francisco Giants and Kansas City Royals swap right-handed pitchers, sending Mason Black to Kansas City and Logan Martin to San Francisco.”
At first glance, the trade features two pitchers who are at very different stages of their professional journeys. Mason Black, who is leaving San Francisco for Kansas City, is further along in his development. He has already reached the major league level and gained experience against MLB hitters.
However, the results have not matched the Giants’ hopes when they initially drafted him and accelerated his path to the big leagues. In contrast, Logan Martin has yet to debut in MLB and represents more of a future-oriented investment, possibly contributing years down the road if his development stays on track.
Mason Black: A Prospect Who Has Not Yet Broken Through
Black’s major league exposure has been brief but bumpy. In the 2024 season, he received an opportunity to crack San Francisco’s rotation, appearing in nine games and starting eight of them. Unfortunately for both the organization and the pitcher, his numbers showed that he struggled to consistently retire hitters at the highest level.
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His 2024 results included a 6.44 earned run average (ERA) and a 1.68 WHIP, signs that opposing batters reached base far too frequently. He did show flashes of potential by recording 31 strikeouts, but those moments of promise were overshadowed by 15 walks and too many prolonged innings.
Heading into 2025, the Giants still hoped Black could turn things around, but his only appearance of the season resulted in another uneven outing. He pitched four innings and allowed three earned runs, and shortly afterward, the organization decided to reassess his future role. With San Francisco now transitioning toward a retooled roster and a new managerial direction, the front office apparently concluded that Black would benefit from a fresh start elsewhere.
Kansas City, however, sees an opening. For a team that has been aggressively trying to build a stronger pitching identity, Black represents a potential reclamation project. He’s still young, still has the fastball-slider mix that made him a top prospect, and may benefit from stepping into a lower-pressure environment.
The Royals have had success helping pitchers refine their mechanics and rediscover confidence. If Black finds his footing, this trade could eventually look like a steal for Kansas City. A change of scenery can be transformative, especially when a pitcher arrives in a clubhouse where opportunity is readily available.
Logan Martin: A Long-Term Development Bet
Going the other direction is Logan Martin, a pitcher whose journey is still in its developmental stage. While Martin has not yet made his MLB debut, he has steadily progressed through the minor leagues. He finished last season in High-A+ ball with the Quad Cities River Bandits, and over the course of 91.1 innings, he demonstrated encouraging command and consistency.
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His season resulted in a 3.45 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP, and he started all 22 games he appeared in. That kind of consistent workload indicates that the Royals trusted him to handle a rotation role.
Martin does not possess the elite velocity that modern pitching prospects sometimes ride to the majors, but what he does offer is repeatable mechanics, a developing pitch mix, and the potential for more refinement.
San Francisco has a strong track record of modernizing pitching arsenals, utilizing analytics to optimize pitch sequencing and velocity increase strategies. In other words, Martin is landing in an organization that could bring out skills he has not yet fully tapped into.
For the Giants, this trade is a calculated move. Rather than continue to invest innings and resources into hoping Mason Black regains form, they are shifting their bet toward a pitcher whose development arc is still trending upward. Martin may not appear in the major leagues immediately, and he might still be a year or two away from cracking San Francisco’s rotation, but he fits the long-term vision of a franchise that wants to build a sustainable pitching pipeline.
The State of Both Franchises
Neither the Royals nor the Giants currently project as overwhelming playoff threats, but each organization can see a path to becoming competitive. Kansas City is anchored by Bobby Witt Jr., one of the most electrifying two-way players in baseball. Witt is a franchise cornerstone—dynamic offensively, impactful defensively at shortstop, and a talent teams can build around.
Yet the rest of the Royals’ lineup lacks the depth required to compete deep into a season. Kansas City’s pitching staff shows promise, but the club needs additional stability and refinement to close the gap with teams like Cleveland and Minnesota.
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San Francisco, meanwhile, has been undergoing structural change. The Giants recently hired Tony Vitello as their new manager—a bold and somewhat unconventional move, as Vitello comes from the college baseball world where he built a powerhouse program at the University of Tennessee. The Giants are betting that he can bring energy, player development expertise, and modern culture into a clubhouse that has felt directionless at times.
Alongside their managerial change, the Giants acquired Rafael Devers, adding an impact bat capable of transforming the middle of their lineup. Devers is a proven run producer, and having him for a full season—not just as a late addition—should elevate the team’s offensive profile.
Even so, both franchises know that one trade won’t change their fortunes. If the Giants and Royals want to leap from “fringe contenders” to legitimate postseason threats in 2026, they will need to be aggressive in acquiring more talent and development assets. Their rotations need depth, their bullpens need reliability, and their lineups need greater balance.
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A Trade That Reflects the Timing
This deal will not make national headlines, and it will not shift the power balance in baseball. But it reflects where both organizations currently stand:
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Kansas City is taking a chance on a former top prospect who might just need a reset.
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San Francisco is betting on future upside and long-term development.
Early offseason trades are often exploratory. They allow teams to test the waters, reshape their rosters, and build flexibility before the market heats up. The Black–Martin exchange is exactly that kind of move. It is not about star power, but rather about building toward sustainability and giving players new environments to unlock untapped potential.
Both teams have more work ahead of them, but for now, this trade represents a step forward—small, strategic, and quietly ambitious.
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