The Royals made it clear this past offseason that they wouldn’t be shy in spending money to bring in players. They went out and signed many free agents to help bolster their roster. On the pitching side, they brought in Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Will Smith, and Chris Stratton. On the hitting side, they signed Hunter Renfroe, Adam Frazier, Garrett Hampson, and Austin Nola.
They didn’t just limit themselves to free-agent signings, either. They were active on the trade market and Rule 5 draft, acquiring Nick Anderson, Kyle Wright, John Schreiber, and Matt Sauer. All these guys will play various roles on the team in 2024, some more than others. Which leads to the question… who will be the most impactful newcomer this year?
The most obvious answer here is someone on the pitching side. Last year, the Royals ranked 28th in team ERA (5.17), 27th in strikeouts per nine (8.11), 25th in home runs per nine (1.32), 23rd in team WHIP (1.41), 27th in strikeouts (1270), and 3rd in most earned runs (809). Not the kind of numbers you want to see from your pitching staff. The Royals needed help finding consistency in both the starting rotation and the bullpen. And it seemed that every time someone went down due to injury, they couldn’t find someone in the minor leagues that could fill the void.
The hope is that it’ll be a different story in 2024. With so many new names in the door, including many relievers with big league talent signed to minor league deals, the Royals hope they don’t fall into the same pitching void they did in 2023. Here are three arms with the best chance to be the most impactful newcomers 2024.
MICHAEL WACHA, RHP
The Royal signed Wacha to a two-year, $32 million deal with a player option for 2025 and incentives based on the number of innings he can compile. After struggling with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021, Wacha had solid back-to-back years with the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres. Over those two seasons, he was the definition of something the Royals rotation has been missing… consistent. He posted a 3.32 ERA while going 11-2 in 2022 and a 3.22 ERA at 14-4 in 2023. He logged more than 125 innings in both seasons.
What helped Wacha get to that next level was changing his pitch mix. He used to be very fastball-reliant, but last year, he went to his changeup 34.5% and his four-seam 28.7% of the time. Increasing his change-up and sinker usage (13.4%) led to improved batted ball metrics and Wacha unlocking some of the old dominance he used to have on the mound. He’s been seen more as a fly-ball pitcher, which should play well in Kauffman as he’s already done a good job at managing a low number of home runs.
Outside of his performance numbers-wise, one of the best things about Wacha is his veteran presence and composure on the mound. He rarely shows signs of getting rattled. Something many of the younger arms can learn from. On top of that, Wacha has demonstrated an ability to adapt when he’s struggling. He is always trying to find ways to find success and isn’t afraid to deviate from what isn’t working. A lesson that many Royals pitchers could learn from. That’s huge for a Royals team still trying to maximize and get arms like Brady Singer and Daniel Lynch IV to that next level. Wacha is my pick to be the most impactful newcomer just based on his success over the last two years, his ability to adapt to adversity, and the impact he can have on the younger guys.
WILL SMITH, LHP
The biggest name the Royals added to their bullpen was an old friend Will Smith. The Los Angeles Angels originally drafted Smith in the 7th round of the 2008 MLB Draft, but the Royals traded for him in 2010 when they sent Alberto Callaspo to the Angels. The Royals eventually sent Smith to the Brewers to acquire Nori Aoki in 2013. Since Smith left the Royals, he worked himself into a promising big league career where he posted a 3.67 ERA over 611 innings pitched. And he has wildly won a World Series with the last three teams he has played for.
Smith returned to the Royals on a one-year contract that will guarantee him $5 million and allow him to earn up to $1 million in incentives. Smith will quickly enter the back end of the Royals bullpen and provide them with a solid late-inning reliever they lacked last year until the emergence of James McArthur. He has experience closing out baseball games as he has 113 career saves and pitched in some monumental moments in the playoffs and World Series.
The best part about having Smith and the other veteran relievers, like Nick Anderson and Chris Stratton, is that there is some veteran presence in the bullpen to take the pressure off of guys like James McArthur and John McMillon, who turned heads last year. It won’t be all on those two guys to be the lifeblood of the Royals bullpen. Will Smith likely starts the year as the Royals closer and could be highly impactful in that role, but don’t be surprised if he’s handing the reigns over to McArthur or McMillon come June. And it might not be even because of poor performance by Smith. McArthur and McMillon are just that good.
MATT SAUER, RHP
Matt Sauer is my dark horse candidate to be the most impactful newcomer for the Kansas City Royals. Our Matthew Robinson did a great New Player Spotlight piece covering everything you need to know about Sauer. The Royals felt confident enough in Sauer’s ability that they traded Dylan Coleman before the Rule 5 Draft, so they had room on their 40-man roster to add Sauer in the Rule 5 Draft. According to MLB Pipeline, after the Royals acquired Sauer, he checked in as the Royals’ 21st overall prospect.
The Yankees were developing Sauer as a starter, making him the most intriguing darkhorse for the Royals in 2024. He is a guy who could end up in a more hybrid role for the Royals, working both out of the bullpen and getting starts when the Royals need a guy. Sauer used to have a fastball that touched 97 mph, but according to MLB Pipeline, he’s mostly worked with 91-93 mph and peaked at 95mph while riding life on his fastball. A move to the bullpen could have Sauer’s stuff ticking again. Sauer has the most upside of the acquisition the Royals made this offseason, and it will be interesting to see what he can do for the Royals in 2024.