Royals Veteran Starter Linked To Orioles After Superb 2024 Season
The Kansas City Royals had a strong 2024 season after putting together one of the best starting rotations in the offseason. They added both Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo to supplement Cole Ragans and Brady Singer.
However, Wacha is set to be a free agent at the end of the World Series. He does have a player option for 2025, but the expectation is that he will decline it in hopes of receiving a longer-term contract in free agency.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic listed him as one of the top 45 free agents in Major League Baseball. He also listed the Baltimore Orioles as a team that could steal him away from the Royals.
"Michael 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," Bowden wrote.
"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."
Wacha went 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA in 28 starts with the Royals this year. While Kansas City still has a strong rotation, the 33-year-old right-hander is a reliable source of veteran innings and it would certainly hurt to lose him.
The Orioles may lose Corbin Burnes, but Wacha will be affordable. Kansas City beat the Orioles in the Wild Card Series earlier this postseason.
Wacha's market will be interesting to follow. We'll see if he ends up staying or leaving.
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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.