Cardinals Veteran Reliever Could Be Possible Offseason Target For Royals
The Kansas City Royals pitching staff was one of the best in Major League Baseball in 2024. The starting rotation was strong, and the bullpen was able to hold leads most of the time.
However, they are going to need some reinforcements in their bullpen this coming winter. Relievers are always at a premium, and they'll need to be in the market for some arms.
Andrew Kittredge had a solid season with the St. Louis Cardinals, going 5-5 in 74 appearances with a 2.80 ERA during the regular season. If the Royals want to beef up their relief corps, Kittredge could be an option.
The 34-year-old right-hander has been around for several years. He was an All-Star in 2021 with the Tampa Bay Rays before dealing with some injuries. St. Louis acquired him in a trade last winter to bolster their bullpen.
The veteran brings swing-and-miss capability to the bullpen and can be relied upon in high-leverage spots, which makes him an attractive target. What also helps is that he is not going to be terribly expensive.
Spotrac currently values Kittredge at $5.5 million per year and predicts that he'll receive a one-year contract this coming offseason.
While Kittredge is a valuable asset to any bullpen, his market shouldn't be too competitive, and this is a move that the Royals should be able to make if they want to improve their relief corps this winter.
We'll see if Kansas City ultimately decides to target the veteran right-hander this offseason.
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Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Communication and currently writes as a contributor for various platforms covering Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.