The Royals are close to securing their second free-agent pitcher of the day, as they’re reported to be finalizing a two-year, $8MM deal with reliever Chris Stratton. The contract will pay the McKinnis Sports client $3.5MM in 2024 when finalized, and there’s a $500K buyout on a $4.5MM player option for the 2025 season. Kansas City also agreed to terms with righty Seth Lugo on a three-year contract in near simultaneous fashion.
Stratton, 33, has been a quality middle-inning arm for the Pirates, Cardinals and Rangers over the past four seasons, tallying 255 1/3 innings of 3.91 ERA ball in that time. Along the way, he’s fanned 24.5% of his opponents against an 8.9% walk rate with a 42% ground-ball rate and 0.85 homers per nine frames. Of that trio, only the Pirates regularly used him in high-leverage spots, but Stratton still collected 11 saves and 27 holds in that time (mostly coming in Pittsburgh).
Stratton has regularly worked multiple innings, evidenced by the fact that those 255 1/3 frames came over the life of just 219 appearances. He averaged just shy of 1 1/3 innings per appearance in 2023, topping out with a three-inning appearance for Texas on Aug. 12. Overall, 36 of this past season’s 64 appearances saw Stratton record at least four outs.
It’s fairly surprising to see Stratton secure an opt-out provision in his contract. Middle relievers of this ilk typically haven’t been afforded that luxury, although the Reds did give Emilio Pagan an opt-out after his first season earlier this month. For Kansas City, perhaps that was a necessary bridge to cross in order to sway a reliever they were prioritizing to sign there rather than with a more clear-cut contender. Regardless, Stratton will now get the benefit of pitching the 2024 campaign in a pitcher-friendly home park — likely with more leverage opportunities than many contending clubs might’ve otherwise offered. If it all goes well, he could be set up nicely next winter, age notwithstanding.
Stratton is the second bullpen addition for the Royals this week. Kansas City also agreed to a one-year, $5MM deal with left-hander Will Smith over the weekend. That gives the Royals a pair of affordable veterans to pair with 27-year-old James McArthur, whose overall 4.63 ERA masks the dominant finish he enjoyed in 2023; from Sept. 2 onward, McArthur rattled off 16 1/3 shutout innings with 19 strikeouts (35.8% strikeout rate) and no walks. Small sample or not, he clearly thrust himself into the team’s late-inning mix with a performance like that. The Royals also picked up former Rays and Braves reliever Nick Anderson in a swap with Atlanta earlier in the winter; Anderson has been prone to injury but boasts a 2.93 ERA, 35.5% strikeout rate and 6.6% walk rate in 122 2/3 career innings when healthy.
The additions of Stratton and Smith tack about $9MM onto the 2024 payroll, and today’s agreement with Lugo adds another $15MM. Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said earlier in the month that he had at least $30MM to spend (for the 2024 season, not overall). That would leave the Royals with at least another $6MM or so to put toward improvements for the current roster, if not a bit more. Kansas City has also reportedly been active in the trade market, with names like MJ Melendez, Freddy Fermin and Michael Massey among those on which they’re said to be comfortable listening. Even if the budget is a bit tight for another notable free-agent move, it’s possible a deal for rotation and/or bullpen help could come together via the trade market.
Anne Rogers of MLB.com first reported that the two sides were finalizing a deal. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand and the New York Post’s Jon Heyman added financial details.
Love it. Keep going KC.
Wagner – It’s indeed a great deal, I’m happy for the Royals. I hope they can become competitive again really soon.
Same. Would like to see them add another arm and maybe a bat. They could probably bring in an outfielder with some pop on the cheap like Hunter Renfroe.
I was happy to get Renfroe last year but can see why he’s on a new team every year.
Granted, everybody seems to suck once they sign here but his batting line with runners in scoring position was a pathetic .171/.231/.302. which was even worse than his career .206/.268/.418 line.
He absolutely disappears in the moments that matter most.
Thanks
Such a spotty pitcher. Never know who you’re going to get on the mound.
Royals are on fire! First Seth Lugo now Chris Stratton, look out!
The White Sox are humped.
Royals have as many rings as the Yankees in the last 20 years and they don’t have money to print. Facts. Don’t question what the Royals do they do the absolute best with what they have. Oakland doesn’t.
3rd place not bad
Nothing wrong with this I don’t know why more rebuilding teams don’t stock up on TD ammunition
Lugo is a great veteran presence for the rotation for the next couple years.
while the Royals are strengthening their roster for 2024 the Bucs are busy waiting for the nobodies to be available for their 2024 season
You are right. These guys are just too expensive for Nutting and his subordinates.
Sometimes that ammo gets you to the deadline a couple games back or a couple games ahead. Then they’re put in a position where they teeter between buyer and seller. They buy, it goes against the stockpile idea. They sell, and they alienate their players and fan base.
I wonder if any of these pitchers would sign with the Royals if the “big market” teams weren’t chasing bigger fish. Reminds me of sneaky good deal Rays signed Eflin to last winter while Mets were wasting 90 million on Verlander and Scherzer!
lark – We all knew going into this offseason that there would be a ton of pitcher options available.
Still got Yama, Shota, Wacha, Snell, Monty to name a few with maybe Burnes on the trade market.
I like Stroman also
There’s still more openings than names to fill the rotation spots. That’s why Lynn goes for $12MM and Lugo goes for $15MM with an opt out.
Royals have a few pitchers under contract now that can be dangled in July if they aren’t in the race. Not a bad move on their part.
First Lugo now Stratton, keep building KC the future looks good.
And I’m just sitting here wondering if the Cubs realized free agency began….
Luckily the Cubs really don’t need much so hopefully they’re shopping at the high end of the pool. Whereas the Royals just spent 23 million of their 30 million they had to play with. Hopefully that’s the difference. Cubs have at least 75 million to spend and more if they don’t mind going into the Luxury Tax Bracket. After seeing how the Dodgers played 70 million into 46 million a year in Luxury Tax commitments anything is possible with a sharp enough pencil.
The player option is being deferred unti 2039.
Not sure why the Cardinals couldn’t bring him back for that price.
How much deffered $ though??
None, Ohtani is the only person doing that this entire offseason probably.
The Kansas City Royals are true heroes. These signings are saving us from perpetual news about Ohtani’s deferrals.
Royals getting that pitching.
Royals going to have a good bullpen. While the others are going after the big fish.
Leaves $6.5 million for another move according to the GM who said they have $30 million to spend
Maybe another move or 2 in the works
If Heymen says its happening then it’s not.
Needs mystery team for it to be a full Heyman report.
If the Royals can get pitching, there is no excuse for Po Boy.
As a White Sox fan, may I present Dylan Cease?
Have a feeling the Reds will get someone better than Lugo and Stratton. They have the pieces for a trade and the money for a splash. Now will they use either???.. we’ll see
That is the 35-40 million dollar question.
Royals fan here: [*insert Jim Halpert “What is going on?!” meme*]
They just got worse.
This guy is an innings glutton out of the bullpen.
Looking at his stats his ERA as a starter is virtually the same as his as a reliever. I wouldn’t be surprised if the signing is meant to stock the pen with an emergency spot starter on the back end of the rotation. He is a useful arm even if he is not a spectacular one.
This is one of the relief guys I wanted the Cardinals to sign. Especially at the cost. Good job KC.
Forever Giant!
Look at the royals making moves meanwhile redsox still sitting their second guessing themselves wether they gonna compete or not lmfaooooo .. I’m happy for the royals fans though that’s two good signing !!!
Seems like a very solid value deal for KC… in fact I wonder if they’d consider stretching him out as a starter again?
If Freddie Fermen somehow ended up on the Dodgers that would be pretty dang funny lol…