Royals Could Pursue Rangers $10 Million World Series Champ To Boost Bullpen
The Kansas City Royals are in desperate need of some bullpen help. Though General Manager J.J. Picollo has downplayed the need for a reliever, it's one of Kansas City's obvious holes.
After falling short in the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees, Kansas City can use either the trade or free agent markets to find ways to bolster their relief corps.
One option they could look into is right-hander Jose Leclerc, who played a key role in the Texas Rangers winning the World Series in 2023. Caleb Moody of Just Baseball believes he could be a fit for Kansas City.
"After a down year with the Texas Rangers this past season, where he posted a mid-4.00s ERA with a 1.32 WHIP, Leclerc is an ideal bounce back candidate for 2025," Moody wrote.
"Despite his bloated ERA and WHIP, he still managed to hold hitters at bay with a solid .222 AVG against, while also striking them out at a 92nd percentile rate of 30.9%, something we’ve established that the Royals ‘pen struggled to do last season.
He also limited the amount of quality contact opposing hitters had off him, posting a 96th percentile hard-hit rate and an 84th percentile average exit velocity in 2024."
Leclerc lost the closer's job with Texas in 2024 and only recorded one save. But he posted a 2.68 ERA in 2023 and could bounce back in 2025.
The former World Series champion has a 3.27 career ERA. He could certainly boost the back end of the Royals bullpen and compliment Lucas Erceg and Hunter Harvey.
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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.