Report: Royals growing pessimistic about re-signing top free agents

The Kansas City Royals are poised to look very different in 2018.

With longtime hitters Mike Moustakas, Eric Hosmer, and Lorenzo Cain expected to decline their $17.4 million qualifying offers to become free agents, the Royals are growing less confident in their ability to re-sign any of them, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.

This comes hours after reports that the Royals were hopeful about retaining Hosmer and Moustakas.

Related: Blue Jays, Mets have reportedly reached out to Lorenzo Cain

All three made their Royals debuts in 2011, with Hosmer and Moustakas joining the club as first-round draft picks. Each has left their marks on the franchise, playing in a pair of World Series, winning one.

The silver lining for the Royals if they miss out on bringing them back is they will receive three compensatory draft picks, potentially jump-starting a rebuild.