The Kansas City Royals did not tender contracts to outfielder MJ Melendez and right-handed reliever Taylor Clarke for the 2026 season, sending both players to free agency , the team announced on Friday. The decision came ahead of MLB's non-tender deadline, which required teams to offer contracts to arbitration-eligible players or let them enter the open market.

Melendez was once a top prospect in the Royals’ system, selected in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft. He made his major league debut in 2022 and spent four seasons with the Royals. However, the past two seasons have been challenging for the former catcher turned outfielder. In 2025, the 26-year-old appeared in 23 games with the Royals, managing just a .083 batting average (5-for-60) and posting a -14 wRC+. Moreover, Melen

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