Dodgers Two-Time All-Star Could Soon Ditch LA For $32 Million Royals Contract
The Kansas City Royals may still need one more starting pitcher.
In 2024, the rotation was the Royals' greatest strength beyond all-world shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. The top four arms in the Kansas City stable all made over 30 starts and carried ERAs under four, helping the Royals to an unexpected playoff appearance.
However, the Royals dealt from their strength to fortify a weakness, sending number-four starter Brady Singer to the Cincinnati Reds for a new leadoff hitter in Jonathan India. Now, Kansas City is relying on question marks like Kris Bubic, Alec Marsh, and Kyle Wright to fill their last two starting slots.
The uncertainty could be mitigated if the Royals added one more veteran on the free-agent market. Fortunately, there could be a bargain sitting right in front of them in the form of a recent World Series champion.
Walker Buehler of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had a rough regular season in 2024, is hitting free agency at a bargain price. Caleb Moody of Just Baseball named Buehler as a strong fit to shore up the rotation for the Royals in free agency.
"October proved that Buehler’s far better than what we saw in the 2024 regular season, meaning he’s an ideal bounce-back candidate to be a four or a five in the Royals rotation and has the upside to be an arm that could easily challenge the top three," Moody said.
"He’s not going to get the contract we thought he would get back when he was dominating in 2021, due to the risk he showed this year prior to October, which means the Royals have an opportunity to get a real upside arm for a fraction of the price."
Buehler, 30, had a 1-5 record and 5.38 ERA in 75 innings pitched during the regular season, looking shaky in his return from a 20-month absence due to Tommy John surgery. But he looked like his old self in the playoffs, which should give the Royals hope that his initial struggles are in the past.
As for what it might cost, Tim Britton of The Athletic recently projected a two-year, $32 million deal for Buehler. There's a chance that any two-year deal might include an opt-out, in the case Buehler pitches like his old self in year one and wants to re-enter the free-agent market.
This could be the opportunity the Royals need to land one more reliable arm. Buehler wouldn't be in their price range if he'd had an All-Star season, so taking the gamble on the righty after a down year might be the best move KC can make.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org