Royals $45 Million Superstar Predicted To Cut Ties With K.C. In Favor Of Guardians
The Kansas City Royals hope to win division titles in 2025 and for several years beyond. But the Cleveland Guardians are standing squarely in their way.
In 2024, the Guardians won the American League Central despite having one of the least impressive starting rotations in recent memory. With ace Shane Bieber injured and former rotation staple Triston McKenzie demoted to Triple-A, the Guardians were left with veteran reclamation projects galore.
Next season, though, the Guardians could have a whole new look. And though the Royals would prefer that Cleveland not sign any valuable veteran starters, there's one name that Kansas City could fear them signing most of all.
Royals standout Michael Wacha, who has a player option for $16 million this winter, is likely to decline a return to Kansas City in favor of testing the free-agent market. On Friday, Jim Bowden of The Athletic predicted that Wacha would land in Cleveland, creating a Royals nightmare scenario.
"The Guardians are able to bring back ace Shane Bieber and also sign veteran righty Michael Wacha for three years and $45 million," Bowden said.
Wacha, 33, was invaluable to the Royals' rotation in 2024. He had a 13-8 record, 3.35 ERA, and 3.5 wins above replacement in 29 starts. It was his third-straight excellent season with his third different team (Boston Red Sox in 2022, San Diego Padres in 2023).
Now, Wacha could be in line to join yet another new team, and of all the teams he could join, the Guardians might be the Royals' worst nightmare. Pairing him with Bieber in the Cleveland rotation could create a serious roadblock to Kansas City's first division title in a full decade.
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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