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KANSAS CITY -- The Royals have been one of more active teams in a quiet offseason so far, but the Hot Stove should be heating up soon with Thanksgiving behind us.

General manager J.J. Picollo has shown us that he prefers to be aggressive when he¡¯s got items on the to-do list, and that has rang true again this offseason. Picollo stated at the end of the season that his main priorities were to see if the Royals could re-sign Michael Wacha and upgrade the lineup, specifically with a leadoff hitter.

Almost immediately after the World Series ended, Wacha signed a three-year deal to stay with Kansas City. A week before Thanksgiving, the Royals traded for Jonathan India to solve their leadoff hitter issue.

There¡¯s still time to evaluate the market. Only now are we beginning to talk about the Winter Meetings and the action that could come with baseball¡¯s annual gathering, which is next Sunday through Wednesday in Dallas.

Here¡¯s what is still on the Royals¡¯ to-do list as the Winter Meetings approach:

1. Figure out where and how an impact bat could fit
A leadoff hitter was the most important addition the Royals wanted to make this winter, and they believe India checks that box.

But that doesn¡¯t mean they view their lineup as complete. They¡¯d still like to add depth down the order, including fortifying their bench and adding a hitter who might be able to slot into the No. 5 or 6 spot behind Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez. This is what they envisioned Hunter Renfroe as when they signed him a year ago, but Renfroe posted a .689 OPS in 2024. He¡¯s returning in ¡¯25 as the Royals¡¯ right fielder, but the outfield is a spot open for upgrades.

Where the Royals might find those upgrades remains to be seen. There is payroll flexibility for a free agent, but how much is unclear. The trade market? Maybe, but the Royals already traded one Major League player (Brady Singer for India).

¡°I think we still got to be on the lookout for something that continues to lengthen our lineup out,¡± Picollo said after trading for India. ¡°If we¡¯re able to get something that helps out in the middle of the lineup, we¡¯d be really happy.

¡°I will say, it¡¯s not going to be easy. When you¡¯re getting accomplished Major League hitters, it¡¯s probably going to come from accomplished, Major League players. And we can¡¯t take two steps back to take one step forward. So we have to be careful about how we manage this. If anything comes about, it¡¯s probably going to be a different type of deal than what we were looking at in this deal.¡±

2. Add a reliever
The Royals did a ton to remake their bullpen last year, and they feel like they¡¯re in a much better spot with the unit after the way it finished the season.

Having Lucas Erceg as their closer helps quite a bit. The Royals want to see what they have in Hunter Harvey as a potential setup man if he stays healthy. John Schreiber, Angel Zerpa and Sam Long will all return for high-leverage roles. Daniel Lynch IV, Alec Marsh, Kris Bubic and/or Kyle Wright could all pitch out of the bullpen if they aren¡¯t starting. Prospects recently added to the roster -- Evan Sisk, Noah Cameron (Royals¡¯ No. 12 prospect), Eric Cerantola (No. 29) and Luinder Avila (No. 26) -- will compete for a bullpen spot.

You never know how things will shake out over the course of a season, though, so it¡¯s worth exploring the market for a reliever or two.

Signing a low-risk deal with a player who could be helped by the Royals¡¯ pitching department seems more likely than the club putting a ton of money into a top-tier free-agent reliever. They should make a few Minor League deals, too, and we saw how well one worked out last year with Long. The Royals want to continue to rely on finding diamonds in the rough.

3. Assess the depth of the rotation
Speaking of that rotation competition, the Royals felt good enough about their depth to part with Singer for the India trade. But that means there will be two open spots behind Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo and Wacha come Spring Training.

Lynch, Marsh, Bubic, Wright and Cameron will be among the candidates for those spots.

The Royals will look to add to that mix or find a veteran who can go back and forth between the bullpen and rotation if needed. They won¡¯t be in the conversation for the top free-agent starters, but a cheaper, short-term deal -- which usually comes about later in the offseason -- would be the likeliest option.