Royals Free Agency Rumors: Edwin Jackson Could Provide Solid Starter For Kansas City

In Jim Bowden's rankings of predicted player value on the MLB free agent market that's getting ready to open, the ESPN analyst and former Cincinnati Reds GM also lists the ideal fit he sees for each player. For current St. Louis Cardinals starter Edwin Jackson, that stop is listed as the Kansas City Royals. That's likely because of Jackson's familiarity with the AL Central with his time with the Chicago White Sox as well as his ability to provide a solid veteran starter in the middle of the rotation.

Bowden writes, "Jackson should get a little less per year than Kuroda, but his relative youth means he'll get a multi-year contract. The thing about Jackson is that you get the feeling he still could get better, and at worst he is a solid, mid-rotation starter."

The Royals are going to need at least two anchor starters and they could do worse than Jackson. He's had good success in the past and he's only 28 at this point, so he's still in his prime for the next three years. Bowden believes it will take a 3-year, $30 million deal to get it done. If KC goes a bit overpriced, it's still a starter they can count on and it's hard to put a price on that when you're the Royals.