KANSAS CITY -- Spring Training is almost here, and we know that not only with the calendar flipping to February but because of the annual Truck Day, when the Royals’ equipment truck is loaded up in Kansas City and hits the road bound for Surprise, Ariz., home of the Royals’ Spring Training complex.

The Royals’ truck left Kansas City on Thursday. It’ll arrive in Arizona and be unloaded in time to greet pitchers and catchers on their report date, set for Feb. 17. The first full-squad workout is Feb. 22, and games begin Feb. 27 against the Rangers at Surprise Stadium.

Baseball will be back before we know it.

The Royals were one of the busier teams at the beginning of the offseason, acquiring starter Mike Minor, slugger Carlos Santana and outfielder Michael A. Taylor, and they have rounded out their roster with a few Minor League signings that could have a major impact on the roster, depending on how the spring plays out. As we get closer to baseball in 2021, here are three things related to the Royals' roster on my mind:

Are the Royals done with offseason acquisitions?
With Major League Baseball’s announcement that Spring Training is set to start on time, the Hot Stove has heated up considerably in the past week. Kansas City is continuing to look for value signings, whether that means Minor League deals, like with the signings of infielder Hanser Alberto and reliever Wade Davis, or low-risk Major League deals.

The Royals strengthened their bullpen by re-signing Greg Holland and gave themselves depth with Davis’ signing. They fortified their rotation with Minor’s two-year deal. Taylor will compete for the center fielder job, giving Kansas City some experience in the outfield. And the club believes it has found its middle-of-the-order bat in Santana.

There are still goals to be met, though. General manager Dayton Moore has talked all offseason about the club wanting a left-handed bat. The obvious fit is in the outfield, where the Royals could use a veteran player to pair with Taylor and the young outfield. Third base could also be open if Kansas City decides to move Hunter Dozier to the outfield.

There are bats out there
Jurickson Profar, Joc Pederson and others are off the board, but there are still lefty bats out there who could fit the Royals’ needs. Free-agent utility man Marwin Gonzalez is a switch-hitter, can play the infield and outfield, and he has a career .261/.317/.413 slash line over nine years in the Majors. He’s an experienced bat and would fit the Royals’ needs, but he might be out of their price range if his market continues to heat up. On Tuesday, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported that up to six teams are interested in the 31-year-old.

Derek Dietrich, a left-handed hitter, is similar to Gonzalez in that he can play both the infield and outfield. Over eight Major League years, he has hit .245/.335/.428, including a .347 on-base percentage last year with the Rangers, despite only hitting .197 in 75 plate appearances.

Unlike Gonzalez, Dietrich’s name hasn’t appeared in any Hot Stove rumors. He signed a Minor League deal with Texas last season and could be open to one with the Royals if he checks all their boxes.

Left-handed utility man Brad Miller (.895 OPS with the Cardinals in 2020) is still on the free-agent market, as is outfielder Matt Joyce (.351 OBP with the Marlins in ’20). Right fielder Nomar Mazara struggled last season, but he has shown power numbers in the past, including 20-home-run seasons from 2016-18. If Whit Merrifield moves to left field and the Royals are confident they can tap into the talent Mazara has showed before, he could be a good fit with Kansas City for '21.

The Royals could have enough as the roster stands
Replacing left fielder Alex Gordon, who retired after the season, is no easy task. If the Royals don’t add an outfield bat, Franchy Cordero will likely get the first crack at the starting spot. The left-handed hitter has shown stretches of production with the Padres, and the Royals want to give him an opportunity. But they know Cordero is injury-prone, so having a lefty bat in the wings would be valuable. Edward Olivares (right-handed hitter) and Nick Heath (left-handed) are on the 40-man roster and ready for their opportunities. So is Khalil Lee (left-handed), a 2016 third-round MLB Draft pick who could make his debut this season.

But the Royals' outfield candidates don't have a ton of Major League experience. Whether a veteran player is added as an everyday starter or someone to split time with the young outfielders, having added experience patrolling the outfield would no doubt help a young Kansas City team.