Building shutdown ‘pen Royals’ No. 1 priority

KANSAS CITY — Royals general manager Dayton Moore loves to point out that his roster now, or at the end of the upcoming Winter Meetings, or at the beginning of Spring Training, or on Aug. 1 won’t remain the same.

“It is always fluid,” Moore said. “The team we have now may not be the same group we have on the first day of Spring Training or the last day of Spring Training or in June.”

That is why Moore and his staff will not feel pressured to make a dramatic splash at this year’s Winter Meetings, which begin Monday.

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MLB.com and MLB Network will have wall-to-wall coverage of the 2016 Winter Meetings from the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center outside Washington, D.C. Fans can watch live streaming of all news conferences and manager availability on MLB.com, including the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 8 at 8 a.m. CT.

Because of payroll concerns, the Royals will not be major players on the free-agent market. They could make a trade or two in an effort to cut payroll. But any deal, Moore notes, will have to help the club now and into the future.

Club needs

Bullpen: Moore has made it clear that his No. 1 priority this offseason will be to create the type of shutdown bullpen the Royals have relied upon in recent years. Joakim Soria had a rough season in 2016, closer Wade Davis was hurt in the second half and Kelvin Herrera faded from overuse down the stretch. But Moore believes he has internal solutions (prospects Matt Strahm and Josh Staumont) and just needs an arm or two to restore the bullpen to greatness. The Royals will be looking for a …

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