Insider Predicts Royals Star Veteran Will Get $54 Million, Hints At Possible Reunion
As the Kansas City Royals get set to tackle free agency, one individual player's decision is looming over the team's heads.
After an 86-76 season and a playoff appearance, the Royals are hoping to push forward and become true World Series contenders in 2025. A key reason for their success was their excellent starting pitching, including four members of the rotation carrying ERA's in the threes.
One of those starters was 33-year-old Michael Wacha, who impressed in his first year in Kansas City after coming over from the San Diego Padres. But because Wacha was so good, he also has the ability to pursue more money in free agency this winter.
Though he signed a two-year, $32 million deal in Kansas City, Wacha can opt out of year two in November and hit the open market. Insider Jim Bowden predicted that Wacha would opt out and land a three-year, $54 million contract from one of his suitors in free agency this winter.
"Wacha has been superb and consistent over the past three years, posting ERAs between 3.22 and 3.35 with double-digit wins each season, all while pitching on short-term contracts. His downward plane and changeup (.169 batting average against) are special," Bowden said.
"He ranked in the 99th percentile in offspeed run value and in the 92nd percentile in hard-hit rate. Wacha has a $16 million player option for 2025 that I expect he’ll decline so he can enter free agency and land a multiyear contract."
After his third-straight excellent season in a third different uniform, the Royals would surely love to keep Wacha in the same city for once. But if the $54 million valuation is correct, it could be a stretch for a Royals team that already spent more than usual last winter.
In addition to the Royals, Bowden listed the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, Minnesota Twins, and Detroit Tigers as fits for Wacha. And while that list doesn't include any big-market teams, who's to say the New York Mets or Los Angeles Dodgers couldn't get involved?
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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