The Kansas City Royals might make a serious effort to retain veteran first baseman Eric Hosmer, one of their core players who will reach free agency this offseason.

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports the Royals are willing to make an offer of "presumably $100 million-plus" for Hosmer, although they expect "some big-market competition" from, among others, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

The 27-year-old Hosmer, a three-time Gold Glove winner, has put himself into position for a big payday by slashing .317/.383/.493 with 24 homers during his walk year.

It will be an eventful offseason for the small-market Royals, who will also see outfielder Lorenzo Cain and third baseman Mike Moustakas hit the open market in the upcoming months.

Keeping all three impending free agents could be next to impossible, so the Royals face difficult choices on what to do with limited resources.

This week, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe wrote the Royals could "make a play" to retain Cain.

-- Doug Mittler