Veteran Pitcher Could Be Making His Last Royals Start In ALDS Game 4
The Kansas City Royals head into Game 4 of the American League Division Series facing elimination following their 3-2 loss in Game 3 on Wednesday night.
They'll have a tall task on their hands for Game 4 as the New York Yankees will be sending last year's AL Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole to the mound. He went five innings and allowed three runs in Game 1 on Saturday.
Starting for the Royals will be Michael Wacha, who lasted just four innings in Game 1 and allowed three runs. However, this could possibly be his last start as a member of the Royals if they fall to the Yankees on Thursday.
Wacha signed a one-year, $16 million deal with the Royals last offseason that included a $16 million player option for 2025.
The expectation is that Wacha will decline his player option and return to the open market, where he can get a longer-term deal for more money.
The Royals could always re-sign him in the event that he opts out, but he will be much more expensive this coming offseason. That's not to say he'll necessarily be out of the Royals' price range, but they'll have a lot of competition for his services.
So, if the Royals lose, this very well could be his final start as a member of the team. His market will be fascinating to follow, and it will be interesting to see what kind of deal he'll get in free agency, whether it's from the Royals or another club.
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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.