The Kansas City Royals made their first significant move of the offseason on Sunday. Will they maintain this momentum as free agency progresses?
After re-signing veteran starting pitcher Michael Wacha to a three-year, $51 million deal, the Royals have mostly retained their starting rotation for the 2024 season. Wacha, alongside Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, and Brady Singer, helped produce some of the best numbers from any team’s starting staff in 2024.
However, the question remains whether the Royals are finished making moves in free agency. If they’re not, could strengthening an already-solid rotation still be part of their strategy to go deeper into the playoffs in 2025?
Zach Pressnell of Newsweek recently predicted the Royals would target New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea to improve their rotation for 2025. Although this prediction was made before Wacha’s extension, it could still be a smart move for Kansas City.
“Manaea had a good season with the Mets, but New York likely won’t bring him back. He posted a 3.47 ERA last season,” Pressnell noted. “The Royals will add a top-10 starter this winter. They’ve got some solid arms, but they need another one to contend for the World Series. If Kansas City plays its cards right, that arm could be Manaea.”
Manaea posted solid overall numbers this year, and if the adjustments he made midseason hold, he could prove to be one of the steals of the offseason. After the All-Star break, his WHIP dropped from 1.22 to 0.94, his opponents’ OPS fell from .639 to .593, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio improved from 2.40 to 3.83.
Adding Manaea to a rotation that already includes Ragans, Lugo, Wacha, and possibly Singer could give the Royals one of the most formidable starting staffs in the league. Alternatively, signing Manaea might provide the Royals with the confidence to trade Singer for a much-needed power hitter.