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Harold Castro Harold Castro Latches on with KC
Sat, Jan 18, 2025, 11:24 AM
Castro signed a minor-league contract with the Royals on Saturday and received an invitation to spring training.
Analysis: Castro spent the 2024 season in the Mexican Baseball League, where he slashed .320/.366/.447 across 363 plate appearances. He'll now attempt an MLB comeback after his strong season in Mexico, though there's a good chance his return to affiliated ball begins at Triple-A Omaha. |
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John Schreiber John Schreiber Avoids arbitration
Thu, Jan 9, 2025, 3:21 PM
The Royals and Schreiber avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.3 million contract Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Schreiber had been arbitration-eligible for a second time. The right-handed reliever saw his strikeout rate dip to 20.5 percent in 2024 in his first year in Kansas City but remained useful with a 3.66 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. He'll be used in middle relief in 2025. |
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MJ Melendez MJ Melendez Avoids arbitration with Kansas City
Thu, Jan 9, 2025, 3:18 PM
The Royals and Melendez avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.65 million contract Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Melendez regressed in 2024 with just a .674 OPS over 135 games. The Royals will start off 2025 playing him regularly at least versus right-handers, but with the playoffs in mind they might not have as much patience with Melendez if he can't take some strides. |
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Carlos Hernandez Carlos Hernandez Settles with Kansas City
Thu, Jan 9, 2025, 3:15 PM
The Royals and Hernandez avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.16 million contract Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: It was the second year of arbitration eligibility for Hernandez, who posted a 3.30 ERA and 27:16 K:BB across 30 innings in 2024. The righty has teased with his big fastball but has shown no indication to this point that he can be consistently relied upon. |
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Hunter Harvey Hunter Harvey Avoids arbitration
Thu, Jan 9, 2025, 3:12 PM
The Royals and Harvey avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3.7 million contract Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Harvey dealt with back problems last season which limited him to just six appearances after the Royals acquired him via trade. He enter spring training healthy and should be a key setup man if he can stay off the injured list. |
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Kris Bubic Kris Bubic Settles at $3 million
Thu, Jan 9, 2025, 3:09 PM
The Royals and Bubic avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3 million contract Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Bubic thrived in relief in 2024 in his first full year back from Tommy John surgery, holding a 2.67 ERA and 39:5 K:BB over 30.1 frames. The lefty will be stretched out in spring training as the Royals consider him for their rotation. |
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Kyle Isbel Kyle Isbel Avoids hearing with KC
Thu, Jan 9, 2025, 2:16 PM
Isbel agreed to a one-year, $1.75 million contract with the Royals on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Isbel will receive a $1 million raise in his first year of arbitration eligibility after slashing .229/.287/.367 with 42 RBI and 11 stolen bases across 136 games last season. While he is expected to start regularly in the outfield again in 2025, the 27-year-old's career-long lack of offensive production means he can be safely left off fantasy managers' radar. |
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Braden Shewmake Braden Shewmake Claimed by Kansas City
Wed, Jan 8, 2025, 1:29 PM
The Royals claimed Shewmake off waivers from the White Sox on Wednesday.
Analysis: Shewmake had been booted from Chicago's 40-man roster but will now join Kansas City's 40-man and remain in the American League Central. The infielder is just 8-for-64 at the plate during his brief time at the major-league level but has a reputation as a solid defender. Shewmake has minor-league options remaining and will likely begin the 2025 season at Triple-A Omaha. |
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Michael Lorenzen Michael Lorenzen Back with KC on one-year deal
Mon, Jan 6, 2025, 5:24 PM
The Royals re-signed Lorenzen to a one-year, $5.5 million contract Monday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: The deal also includes a $12 million mutual option or $1.5 million buyout for 2026. Lorenzen, 33, collected a 3.31 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 97:60 K:BB over 130.1 innings between the Rangers and Royals in 2024. He'll presumably begin the 2025 season in Kansas City's rotation, which would leave Alec March and Kris Bubic competing for one spot. Lorenzen had been hoping to be used at designated hitter early in the season with the goal of earning a two-way roster designation, but that appears to be out the window now. |
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Austin Cox Austin Cox Re-ups with Kansas City
Thu, Jan 2, 2025, 12:03 PM
The Royals re-signed Cox to a minor-league contract Thursday.
Analysis: Cox spent the entirety of the 2024 season in the minors, posting a 3.86 ERA and 65:40 K:BB over 60.2 frames between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha. The left-hander appeared in 24 games with the Royals in 2023, collecting a 4.54 ERA and 33:17 K:BB in 35.2 innings. Cox is likely to begin the 2025 season in the bullpen at Omaha. |
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Junior Fernandez Junior Fernandez Latches on with Kansas City
Fri, Dec 20, 2024, 2:09 PM
The Royals signed Fernandez to a minor-league contract Friday.
Analysis: Fernandez signed with Japan's Chiba Lotte Marines last offseason but wound up making just two appearances for them. The right-handed reliever last appeared in the big leagues in 2022 and has posted a 5.17 ERA and 47:35 K:BB over 54 career innings covering parts of four major-league seasons. |
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Taylor Clarke Taylor Clarke Back with KC
Tue, Dec 17, 2024, 9:31 PM
Clarke signed a minor-league contract with the Royals on Thursday.
Analysis: Clarke spent the entire 2024 campaign with the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate, turning in a 4.92 ERA and 1.30 WHIP over 64 innings. He'll now return to the organization he spent two seasons with from 2022-23, though he doesn't project to act as anything more than organizational depth this time around. |
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Kyle Wright Kyle Wright Avoids arbitration
Tue, Dec 17, 2024, 2:58 PM
The Royals and Wright (shoulder) avoid arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $1.8 million contract Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Wright will make the same salary in 2025 as he made in 2024 when he missed the season while recovering from surgery to repair a torn capsule in his right shoulder. The right-hander has been throwing off a mound and hopes to be without restrictions during spring training as he competes for a spot in the Royals' rotation. |
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Kyle Wright Kyle Wright Hopes to be 100 percent for spring
Thu, Dec 12, 2024, 11:30 AM
Wright (shoulder) hopes to be fully healthy for spring training and compete for a spot in the Royals' rotation, Jaylon Thompson of the Kansas City Star reports.
Analysis: Wright underwent surgery in October of 2023 to repair a torn capsule in his right shoulder. He's now more than a year removed from that operation and in October touched 90 mph during a bullpen session. That's a far cry from the 95.1 mph Wright averaged with his four-seamer during his breakout 2022 campaign when he won 21 games and posted a 3.19 ERA, but the hope is that his velocity will continue to tick up as he further distances himself from surgery. It's no guarantee his stuff will bounce back as he returns from major shoulder surgery, but Wright will be one to keep a close eye on during spring training. |
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Maikel Garcia Maikel Garcia Expected to be ready for spring
Fri, Dec 6, 2024, 10:19 AM
Garcia (elbow) is expected to be ready for the start of spring training, MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Garcia reported soreness in his right elbow while playing catch recently and an MRI revealed bone chips, which he had surgically removed Thursday. The Royals are calling the procedure "minor" and do not expect the infielder's availability for the beginning of spring training to be impacted. Garcia slashed .231/.281/.332 with seven home runs and 37 stolen bases for Kansas City during the 2024 regular season. |
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Maikel Garcia Maikel Garcia Undergoes elbow surgery
Thu, Dec 5, 2024, 9:34 PM
Garcia underwent surgery to remove bone spurs from his right elbow Thursday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.
Analysis: Garcia didn't spend any time on the injured list in 2024 and was available throughout the postseason, leaving it unclear when he suffered the injury. The Royals haven't commented as to whether Garcia's recovery will cost him any time during spring training or even regular season contests. |
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Jordan Groshans Jordan Groshans Latches on with KC
Tue, Dec 3, 2024, 6:29 PM
Groshans signed a minor-league contract with the Royals on Tuesday, Robert Murray of FanSided.com reports.
Analysis: Most of Groshans' time last season was spent in Double-A, where he slashed .237/.313/.318 across 320 plate appearances between the Yankees' and Athletics' affiliates. He could potentially receive a bump to Triple-A upon joining the Royals, though major-league at-bats are likely out of the question for the 25-year-old. |
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Kris Bubic Kris Bubic Returning to rotation
Tue, Dec 3, 2024, 5:52 PM
The Royals intend to move Bubic back into their starting rotation in 2025, per Will Sammon, Katie Woo and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Analysis: After recovering from a Tommy John procedure he underwent in April 2023, Bubic appeared exclusively out of the bullpen during the final three months of the 2024 campaign. In 27 regular-season appearances, the lefty posted a strong 2.67 ERA and 1.02 WHIP alongside a 39:5 K:BB over 30.1 frames. Assuming the 27-year-old is able to turn in similar numbers during spring training, he should have little trouble securing a spot in the Royals' rotation, which lost some depth after the trade that sent Brady Singer to Cincinnati. |
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Jonathan India Jonathan India Dealt to KC
Fri, Nov 22, 2024, 6:25 PM
The Royals acquired India (ankle) and Joey Wiemer in exchange for Brady Singer on Friday.
Analysis: India enjoyed a strong 2024 season with the Reds while serving as their primary second baseman. However, with Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand back from injury, there was a projected playing time squeeze along Cincinnati's infield. India should immediately slot into the starting second base job with the Royals and should have the chance to hit in a prominent spot in the lineup. |
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Joey Wiemer Joey Wiemer Headed to Kansas City
Fri, Nov 22, 2024, 6:07 PM
The Reds traded Wiemer and Jonathan India to the Royals on Friday in exchange for Brady Singer.
Analysis: Wiemer went just 4-for-26 with nine strikeouts in 21 big-league games played between Milwaukee and Cincinnati last season. His performance in the minors wasn't great either, as he slashed .189/.277/.226 in 119 plate appearances with the Reds' Triple-A affiliate after being traded at the deadline. Once regarded as a top prospect in the Brewers' farm system, the 25-year-old Wiemer will look to turn things around with the Royals, though he will likely report to Triple-A Omaha. |
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