Royals add Collins, Mears in trade with Brewers, part with Zerpa (sources)

KANSAS CITY -- Continuing their flurry of activity following the Winter Meetings, the Royals swung a trade Saturday night. They acquired outfielder Isaac Collins and right-handed reliever Nick Mears from the Brewers and sent lefty reliever Angel Zerpa to Milwaukee, sources told MLB.com.

The trade has not been confirmed by the clubs.

TRADE DETAILS
Royals get: OF Isaac Collins, RHP Nick Mears
Brewers get: LHP Angel Zerpa

Perhaps utility player is a better label for Collins, who logged a majority of his games for the Brewers last year in left field but also saw time at third base and second base. That versatility was appealing for Kansas City, although the club acquired him to play left field in 2026 as the roster stands now.

Collins’ defensive metrics are solid. He led the Majors with 6 outs above average in left field last season, and he has some speed. But the Royals acquired the switch-hitting Collins mainly for his bat as they continue to look for outfielders who can help elevate their offense next season.

The 28-year-old finished fourth in the National League Rookie of the Year voting last season after posting a slash line of .263/.368/.411 with a 118 OPS+, nine home runs and 54 RBIs. His profile is one that fits the Royals -- lots of contact, not a lot of chase. Evaluators add that he brings consistent and gritty at-bats that make pitchers work.

Collins’ 18.4% chase rate ranked in MLB’s 98th percentile, per Statcast, and he recorded just a 22.5% whiff rate. His 12.9% walk rate was tied for 19th in baseball (minimum 400 plate appearances). While there could be some regression for Collins next year in his second full season in the Major Leagues, the on-base and swing decisions typically aren’t things that fall off for hitters. That skill set is exactly why the Royals targeted him to lengthen the lineup.

This trade was able to get to the finish line, sources said, because the Royals were able to acquire Mears, too – a pitcher the Royals have had interest in going back to his time with Colorado in 2023. The 29-year-old possesses an above-average fastball and posted a 3.49 ERA across 56 2/3 innings in 2025, with just 13 walks and 46 strikeouts. And he adds chase to the Royals’ bullpen. Mears logged a 33.5% chase rate in ‘25 -- a number that ranked in MLB’s 93rd percentile, per Statcast. He relies mainly on his fastball-slider combination, with a curveball thrown some, too.

Mears threw mid- to high-leverage innings with Milwaukee, and the Royals expect him to find the same role with them, lengthening their bullpen in front of setup man Lucas Erceg and closer Carlos Estévez.

Collins is not eligible for salary arbitration until 2028 and will be under club contractual control until 2031. Mears is arb-eligible this year and is set to become a free agent following the ’27 season.

Parting with the 26-year-old Zerpa was not an easy task for the Royals, especially with left-handed relief depth on their offseason to-do list even before this trade. Zerpa signed with the Royals out of Venezuela in 2016 and progressed through their Minor League system as a starter before making his Major League debut at the very end of 2021. He transitioned to a reliever by ’24 and has spent the past two seasons as a durable piece of Kansas City’s bullpen.

In ‘25, Zerpa posted a 4.18 ERA across a career-high 64 2/3 innings. At times, he has looked unhittable with his 96.6 mph sinker. Other times, he struggled without consistency on his breaking ball.

The Royals were after offense in this trade, acquiring Collins for his contact and on-base ability. On Thursday, Kansas City came to an agreement with free-agent outfielder Lane Thomas on a one-year deal, which still hinges on a physical. That’s two new outfielders who the Royals believe lengthen their lineup and better support the core of the position player group. But sources indicated that those two acquisitions don’t necessarily mean the Royals are done looking for bats this winter.