The Royals have rolled out the red carpet to retain pitcher Michael Wacha.
The club has confirmed that it has re-signed the 33-year-old to a whopping three year, $51 million deal with a fourth-year option that would become $72 million. However, MLB.com reports that Kansas City can pass on the fourth-year option with a $1 million buyout. The veteran pitcher was widely expected to test free agency, but it appears he ultimately opted to remain at Kaufmann Stadium.
This will mark Wacha’s first multi-year deal in the MLB since his stint with the St. Louis Cardinals from 2013-2019. In 2024, he started 29 games with a 3.35 ERA and 145 strikeouts over 166 innings. These numbers helped the Royals solidify their starting rotation alongside Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo, which helped propel the team to its first postseason since their victorious 2015 campaign. Royals manager Matt Quatraro spoke about Wacha before his Game 1 start in the American League Divison Series last season:
“I can’t say enough good things about him as a teammate. I really can’t. He is the most dialed-in pitcher I have ever seen when he’s not pitching. He’s into every pitch, he’s high-fiving guys for keeping the double play, for breaking up a double play, for throwing to the right base. He’s into every at-bat when his teammates are up there. He’s looking for things about the other team when he’s on the bench.”
According to ESPN, Wacha’s decision to stay at Kansas City was due to their exceptional defense, primarily driven by star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. Another factor was the Royals signed him before they tendered a qualifying offer. This meant that any team that signed him would have to give up a draft pick, potentially muddying any deals with the player.
As for what moves the Royals will do next in the offseason, many suggestions point to upgrading the lineup. Despite their great defense, the club’s offense was sorely lacking outside of Bobby Witt Jr. Notably, the 79 wRC+ amongst the outfield was some of the worst in the entire league. Should the Royals capitalize on their solid starting rotation next season, this is the one area they must improve.
