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Royals Place Josh Taylor On Injured List

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The Royals announced that they’ve placed left hander Josh Taylor on the 15-day IL with left shoulder impingement syndrome and activated left hander Daniel Lynch. Lynch will start today’s game against the Nationals in Kansas City.

Taylor had limped to an 8.15 ERA over 17 2/3 innings this season, but was perhaps a little more unfortunate than that mark suggests. He owns a very high .409 BABIP and had been striking out batters at a quality 31.3% clip, so perhaps his performance was somewhat better than the ERA.

Acquired by the Royals this winter in the Adalberto Mondesi trade with the Red Sox, Taylor arrived in Kansas City with a career 3.69 ERA over 102 1/3 big league innings in Boston. He missed the entire 2022 season with a back injury, but his track record suggests there is certainly some talent in the left hander. Like many left handers, Taylor is far better against same sided batters, holding them to a .196/.277/.272 line as opposed to a .283/.367/.446 line against right handed hitters.

Lynch was activated to make his season debut for the Royals as he returns from a rotator cuff strain suffered in spring training. The 26-year-old former first round pick has made 42 starts for the Royals over the past two years, putting together a 5.32 ERA with a 19.4% strikeout rate and a 9.1% walk rate, both marks that fall slightly below the league average.

Royals Notes: Lynch, Yarbrough, Hosmer, Pasquantino

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Daniel Lynch is ready for his first appearance of the 2023 season, as the Royals announced the left-hander as their scheduled starter for Sunday’s game with the Nationals.  Lynch suffered a left rotator cuff strain in the final few days of Spring Training, and after a brief shutdown period returned to action in a minor league rehab assignment in early May.

Lynch tossed six shutout innings last Tuesday in what ended up being his final rehab outing, as he looked a lot shakier in posting a 5.65 ERA over 14 1/3 innings of work in his previous four outings.  As he told MLB.com’s Anne Rogers and other reporters, Lynch felt he had “to do something to show them that I’m 100 percent ready.  There were some conversations that weren’t easy to have, some conversations that I didn’t necessarily want to have.  But [I] ended up going and stepping up.”

A struggling rotation has been one of many reasons behind the Royals’ dismal 15-37 start, and if Lynch is able to provide help, it would be a huge boost to both Kansas City’s pitching staff and Lynch’s bigger-picture future.  The 34th overall pick of the 2018 draft has yet to deliver much at either the MLB level or even at Triple-A (5.16 ERA over 82 innings), and his 2 1/3 innings of Double-A rehab work this season represents his only experience in Double-A ball.  Lynch’s work at the team’s alternate training site in 2020 made the Royals confident that they could fast-track him to Triple-A in 2021, but the southpaw has yet to deliver on his top-100 prospect potential.

There hasn’t been much to like about Lynch’s 199 2/3 innings in the big leagues, as he has allowed a ton of hard contact en route to a 5.32 ERA, 19.4% strikeout rate, and 9.1% walk rate.  The Royals completely overhauled their pitching development team (including the hiring of Brian Sweeney as pitching coach) during the offseason in the hopes of getting more from Lynch and other high draft picks like Lynch, Kris Bubic, or Jackson Kowar, but the results haven’t been there with the youngsters or even the more veteran members of the K.C. staff.  Brady Singer looked to have broken out in 2022, but he has struggled to a 7.48 ERA over his first 49 1/3 innings of 2023.

Beyond any on-field struggles, the pitching staff was also dealt a scarier blow when Ryan Yarbrough was hit in the face by a Ryan Noda line drive on May 7.  Yarbrough sustained multiple facial fractures and was placed on the 60-day injured list, but fortunately, the left-hander gave a positive update when visiting teammates and the media today.

“I have a four-week appointment to see where I’m at with the healing process and just kind of go from there,” Yarbrough told the Kansas City Star’s Jaylon Thompson and other reporters.  “Until then, just kind of staying active and doing everything I can….It’s one of those freak accidents and something that is really out of everyone’s control.  It wasn’t something you can really avoid.  It’s an unfortunate part of the game and luckily it doesn’t happen very often.  I’m very blessed to be here right now and feeling a lot better and progressing in the right direction.”

In other Royals news, manager Matt Quatraro said the Royals “haven’t even discussed” the possibility of bringing Eric Hosmer back to Kansas City after the veteran first baseman was recently released by the Cubs.  Speaking during a radio interview with KCSP 610AM (hat tip to Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star), Quatraro noted that the Royals don’t really have space for Hosmer, as Vinnie Pasquantino and Nick Pratto have the first base and DH positions covered.

“So, you bring somebody in, then what you’re talking about is not as an everyday player that’s going to take somebody else’s spot that needs the at-bats or need the innings pitched, so that’s the kind of thing you have to balance,” Quatraro said.

After a strong rookie performance in 2022, Pasquantino has kept things going this year by hitting .260/.344/.474 with nine home runs over his first 219 plate appearances of the 2023 campaign.  The 25-year-old certainly looks like a nice building block for K.C. going forward, though it isn’t really known if the Royals have made any attempt to lock Pasquantino up to an extension.  Pasquantino told Grathoff that he had “no information” about any contract talks, and Royals GM J.J. Picollo also declined comment.

Pasquantino is already under team control through the 2028 season, so the Royals don’t have to be in any kind of real rush to sign the first baseman to an extension, and might simply prefer to wait to see what they have in Pasquantino before exploring a longer-term deal.  Reiterated an earlier point he made on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM, Pasquantino said that for his part, he wants to remain with the Royals, saying “I think for every player, you dream of playing for the same team your entire career.  I really enjoy this organization.  So on the surface, yes, I’d love to stay here.”

Royals Release Hunter Dozier

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TODAY: The Royals announced that they have requested unconditional release waivers on Dozier.

MAY 22: The Royals announced Monday that infielder Hunter Dozier, who’s playing out the third season of a four-year contract worth a guaranteed $25MM, has been designated for assignment. His spot on the active roster will go to infielder Nicky Lopez, who is returning from the 10-day injured list.

Dozier, 31, was the No. 8 overall selection in the 2013 draft, though that was generally regarded as an underslot deal that allowed them to go over slot to sign lefty Sean Manaea 26 picks later. Dozier was still a well-regarded prospect himself, but he struggled considerably in his first few pro seasons before a breakout showing between Double-A and Triple-A in 2016. He struggled in his first two big league looks in 2016 and 2018 but looked to have a breakout campaign in 2019, when he slashed .279/.348/.522 with a career-high 26 home runs.

Of course, as is commonly known at this point, that 2019 season saw a host of odd offensive breakouts around the league as MLB worked with a juiced baseball both in the big leagues and in Triple-A. A comical 58 players belted 30 or more home runs that season, and were it not for a three-week stay on the injured list, Dozier might very well have been a 59th.

The 2020 season saw Dozier take a step back, but his .228/.344/.392 batting line still clocked in right around league-average, per metrics like wRC+ and OPS+, after weighting for his pitcher-friendly home park and a reduced leaguewide run-scoring environment. On the whole, Dozier batted .267/.347/.492 with 32 home runs in 772 plate appearances from 2019-20 — showing the Royals enough that they felt comfortable making that four-year extension offer prior to the 2021 season.

Things went south almost immediately, and Dozier has batted just .222/.286/.384 with a 27.2% strikeout rate in 1134 plate appearances since putting pen to paper on that contract. He’s oscillated between first base, third base and right field without drawing positive defensive grades at any of the three spots. This year’s struggles have been particularly pronounced, as Dozier has limped to a .183/.253/.305 slash with a career-worst 31.9% strikeout rate in 91 trips to the plate.

The Royals will have a week to trade Dozier, pass him through waivers or release him. Given that he’s being paid $7.25MM this season and is owed both a $9MM salary in 2024 and a $1MM buyout on a 2025 club option, there’s no way he’d be claimed on waivers. The Royals could perhaps try to engineer a swap that sends Dozier elsewhere in exchange for another bad contract, though they’ve presumably looked into such scenarios (or trade scenarios where they pay the bulk of the contract) without striking up a deal.

Even if Dozier goes unclaimed on outright waivers, he has more than five years of MLB service time, meaning he could reject an outright assignment, elect free agency and still retain the remainder of his salary. It’s most common for players in similar situations to this one to wind up simply being released. One way or another, it’s likely that today’s DFA will spell the end of Dozier’s time with the Royals organization. If he ultimately does end up becoming a free agent, he’d be able to sign with any of the 29 other teams, who’d only owe him the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the big league roster/injured list. That amount would be subtracted from what the Royals owe Dozier, but they’ll remain on the hook for the vast majority of his contract regardless.

Royals Select Nick Wittgren

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The Royals have selected the contract of right-hander Nick Wittgren, optioning fellow righty Max Castillo in a corresponding move. The 40-man roster already had an open spot due to Hunter Dozier getting designated for assignment yesterday.

Wittgren, 32 next week, has pitched in the seven previous major league seasons for Miami, Cleveland and St. Louis. By the end of the 2020 season, he had made 198 appearances with a 3.36 ERA, 23.4% strikeout rate, 6.8% walk rate and 38.2% ground ball rate. Unfortunately, he’s fell on hard times in the next two seasons, with his ERA jumping to 5.05 in 2021 and 5.20 last year. His strikeout rate got as high as 28.6% in 2020 but then dropped to 23.6% the year after and all the way to 12.7% in 2022.

He was outrighted by the Guardians after 2021 and signed with the Cardinals for 2022 but was released in July. He signed a minor league deal with the Royals this winter and has been pitching for Triple-A Omaha this year, posting a 1.25 ERA in 21 2/3 innings. He’s struck out 24.1% of opponents faced while walking 7.6% of them, getting grounders at a 42.3% clip.

That solid showing will get Wittgren another shot at the big leagues. If he can carry over any of those strong results, it would be a boost to the struggling Kansas City bullpen. The club’s relievers have a collective 4.71 ERA on the year, placing them 26th out of the 30 teams in the league.

Rule 5 Draft Update: May 2023

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It’s been more than a months since we last checked in on this year’s group of Rule 5 draftees and how they’re faring around the league. Fifteen players were selected in the 2022 Rule 5 Draft — those unfamiliar with the event can read up on the specifics here — and since last check there have been a few notable developments among the group. Let’s take a look…

Currently on a Major League Roster

Thaddeus Ward, RHP, Nationals (from Red Sox)
Since last update: 7 1/3 innings, 4.91 ERA, 3 hits, 1 HR, 9 BB, 7 K
Overall 2023 numbers: 14 2/3 innings, 4.91 ERA, 8 H, 2 HR, 24.2% strikeout rate, 21% walk rate, 51.5% ground-ball rate

Since last check in early April, Ward has had a three-walk appearance in which he pitched just one inning and a four-walk appearance in which he only recorded two outs. His command has been among the worst in baseball, as only two pitchers (min. 10 innings) have walked a greater percentage of their opponents: twice-DFA’ed right-hander Javy Guerra and injured Rockies righty Dinelson Lamet.

At last check, Ward was struggling with that command but still had fanned more than 30% of his opponents. He’s seen his strikeout rate, swinging-strike rate, opponents’ chase rate and average fastball all dip over the past five weeks. The Nationals have done a decent job hiding him — he’s appeared in just 25% of their games — and with a projected playoff chance under 1%, they might not care about the rough performance. Ward was one of the Red Sox’ top pitching prospects before a more than two-year layoff due to the canceled 2020 minor league season and 2021 Tommy John surgery. He posted a 2.28 ERA, 31% strikeout rate and 8.9% walk rate in 51 1/3 minor league innings in last year’s return effort. The Nationals are rebuilding anyway, and as long as they still like Ward’s stuff, they can afford to let him take his lumps in the big leagues even though he entered the season with just 41 innings above A-ball.

Ryan Noda, 1B/OF, Athletics (from Dodgers)
Since last update: 103 plate appearances, .221/.417/.416, 2 HR, 22.3% walk rate, 31.1% strikeout rate
Overall 2023 numbers: 140 plate appearances, .215/.400/.421, 4 HR, 8 2B, 1 3B, 1 SB, 21.4% walk rate, 32.1% strikeout rate

The only five hitters in baseball with more walks than Noda’s 30 are Juan Soto, Adley Rutschman, Ian Happ, Matt Olson and Max Muncy. All but Muncy have more plate appearances. Noda’s massive walk rate leads MLB’s 171 qualified hitters … but his 32.1% strikeout rate is also tied for the seventh-highest. A whopping 56% of his plate appearances have ended in either a walk, strikeout or home run, making the 27-year-old the embodiment of a three-true-outcome player.

The strikeouts may be tough to watch, but Noda’s .400 OBP is tied for tenth among qualified hitters. He’s picked up 13 extra-base hits, is sitting on a strong .206 ISO (slugging percentage minus batting average) and boasts a 140 wRC+ despite his low batting average. Defensive metrics feel he’s been a competent, if not slightly above-average first baseman. Noda is getting on base 40% of the time he comes to the plate, and there’s no way the A’s (or any team) would take him off the roster as long as he’s doing that.

Jose Hernandez, LHP, Pirates (from Dodgers)
Since last update: 11 innings, 4.09 ERA, 9 hits, 2 HR, 2 BB, 14 K
Overall 2023 numbers: 17 1/3 innings, 3.12 ERA, 15 hits, 2 HR, 27.5% strikeout rate, 4.3% walk rate, 38.3% ground-ball rate

Injuries to Jarlin Garcia and Rob Zastryzny — who was activated today — left Hernandez as the lone lefty option in Derek Shelton’s bullpen, but Hernandez has handled the role just fine. The Orioles tagged him for a pair of runs in an appearance that saw him record just one out last week, but Hernandez has generally been sharp despite skipping Triple-A entirely.

Hernandez is averaging just under 96 mph on his fastball, and his 12.5% swinging-strike rate is better than the league average. He’s picked up a pair of holds for the Pirates and his 23.2 K-BB% ties him for 28th among 192 qualified relievers. He’s given up too much hard contact (89.9 mph average exit velocity, 40.4% hard-hit rate), but he looks the part of a useful big league reliever right now and shouldn’t be in any danger of losing his roster spot.

Blake Sabol, C/OF, Giants (from Pirates)
Since last update: 66 plate appearances, .323/.364/.565, 4 HR, 6.1% walk rate, 39.4% strikeout rate
Overall 2023 numbers: 100 plate appearances, .280/.330/.473, 5 HR, 3 2B, 2 SB, 5% walk rate, 38% strikeout rate

Sabol has been on fire since our early-April look at the Rule 5’ers who made their Opening Day rosters, though he’s benefited from a mammoth .500 BABIP along the way. Still, the four long balls in that time show impressive pop, and the Giants have given him looks in both left field and at catcher.

Sabol has above-average sprint speed, exit velocity and hard-contact abilities, and both Statcast and FanGraphs give him above-average framing marks in his limited time behind the dish. However, he’s also needed a hefty .420 BABIP to get to his current production, and no player in baseball strikes out more often or swings and misses more often than Sabol has. Sabol’s 60.3% contact rate is the worst in Major League Baseball, and if he can’t improve that mark and start to draw some more walks, it’s hard to imagine continuing anything close to this level of production. Regression looks quite likely for this version of Sabol, but he walked and made contact at much better clips in Double-A and Triple-A last year, so there’s still hope for improvement as he gains more experience.

Mason Englert, RHP, Tigers (from Rangers)
Since last update: 16 1/3 innings, 2.76 ERA, 13 hits, 3 HR, 5 BB, 13 K
Overall 2023 numbers: 23 2/3 innings, 4.18 ERA, 21 hits, 6 HR, 17.8% strikeout rate, 6.9% walk rate, 47.2% ground-ball rate

The Tigers have used Englert for more than an inning in nine of his 13 appearances, including eight outings of at least two innings (two of which were three-inning efforts). He’s provided the team with some length but also been used in a few leverage spots, evidenced by a pair of holds and, more regrettably, a pair of blown saves. While his strikeout rate is pedestrian, Englert’s 11.6% swinging-strike rate and 34.3% opponents’ chase rate are average or better. That doesn’t necessarily portend a major uptick in punchouts, but there’s probably more in the tank than his current 17.8% clip.

Englert has been far too homer-prone (2.28 HR/9), and that’s been his Achilles heel thus far. If he can rein in the long ball, he could give the Detroit bullpen some length for the balance of the season and perhaps even start some games should they need. The 23-year-old was a starter in the Rangers’ system prior to being selected by the Tigers last December.

Detroit has outperformed most expectations thus far, although at 19-22 with a -48 run differential, the Tigers still don’t look like viable contenders. If they’re hovering around the Wild Card race later in the year and Englert is struggling, perhaps they’d be tempted to move on, but for now he’s pitched well enough and the Tigers are far enough from the postseason picture that they can afford to keep him around even if he stumbles a bit.

Kevin Kelly, RHP, Rays (from Guardians)
Since last update: 16 1/3 innings, 23 hits, 0 HR, 4 BB, 12 K
Overall 2023 numbers: 22 1/3 innings, 4.84 ERA, 17.8% strikeout rate, 4% walk rate, 42.1% ground-ball rate

Kelly, 25, has looked sharp in most of his appearances but has been tagged for multiple earned runs three times — including a pair of three-run clunkers. For a short reliever, that’s… less than optimal. The Rays have felt comfortable using him in plenty of leverage spots, however, evidenced by a quartet of holds, a save and another blown save.

Kelly’s 4% walk rate gives the air of pinpoint command, but he’s also plunked three hitters and has a below-average 58.4% rate of throwing a first-pitch strike. He hasn’t allowed a home run, in part because he hasn’t allowed a single barreled ball this year. Kelly has avoided hard contact better than the average pitcher, eschewed walks and generally pitched better than his near-5.00 ERA might otherwise indicate. With the Rays firmly in contention, he’ll need to avoid a prolonged slump to stick on the roster, but it’s clear they believe he can be a solid reliever even with below-average velocity (92 mph average fastball) and strikeout abilities.

Currently on the Major League Injured List

  • Nic Enright, RHP, Marlins (from Guardians): Enright announced in February that just weeks after being selected in the Rule 5 Draft, doctors diagnosed him with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He’s undergone treatment and been on a minor league rehab assignment as he rebuilds game strength. Enright is currently on Miami’s 60-day injured list, but baseball of course takes a back seat in this type of instance. We at MLBTR join fans of the Marlins, Guardians and every other organization in pulling for the 26-year-old Enright and wishing him a full recovery.
  • Noah Song, RHP, Phillies (from Red Sox): Ranked as the No. 65 prospect in the 2019 draft by Baseball America, Song slid to the Red Sox in the fourth round due to his military commitments as a Naval Academy cadet. His professional experience is limited to 17 Low-A innings in 2019 while spending the past three seasons in the Navy but was transferred from active duty to selective reserves earlier this year, allowing him to play baseball. He’s on the Phillies’ 15-day injured list with a back strain, and it’s tough to imagine him just diving into a Major League bullpen after spending three years away from the game. Still, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski held that same title in Boston when the Red Sox drafted Song and has said since the Rule 5 Draft that he feels Song’s pure talent is worth the risk.
  • Wilking Rodriguez, RHP, Cardinals (from Yankees): The 33-year-old Rodriguez’s incredible story hit an abrupt roadblock when he underwent shoulder surgery earlier this month. It’s been eight years since he last pitched in affiliated ball and nine years since his lone MLB cup of coffee with the Royals. Since then, he’s been a staple in the Venezuelan Winter League and the Mexican League. The Yankees signed Rodriguez to a minor league deal last summer, but because he wasn’t on the 40-man roster and had enough prior professional experience, he was Rule 5-eligible and scooped up by the Cardinals. They can retain his rights into next season but would need to carry him on the 40-man roster all winter in order to do so, and he wouldn’t be optionable to until he spent 90 days on the active MLB roster next season. That scenario seems highly unlikely.

Currently in DFA Limbo

  • Gus Varland, RHP, Brewers (from Dodgers): Varland wowed the Brewers in spring training when he punched out 17 of his 35 opponents (48.6%), but he landed on the injured list on April 16 — three days after MLBTR’s last Rule 5 check-in — when he was struck by a comebacker. The diagnosis was a hand contusion, and Varland was back on a big league mound about three weeks later. The 26-year-old posted a 2.25 ERA through his first eight innings this year but did so with just five strikeouts against five walks. On May 15, the Cardinals clobbered him for nine runs on six hits (two homers) and three walks with one strikeout in just two-thirds of an inning. That outing sent Varland’s ERA careening to its current 11.42 mark. The Brewers designated him for assignment the next day. He’ll have to pass through waivers unclaimed — he’d retain all of his Rule 5 restrictions if claimed by another club — and offered back to the Dodgers after that.

Already Returned to their Former Club

  • Nick Avila, RHP: Avila allowed eight runs in ten spring innings with the White Sox and was returned to the Giants, for whom he posted an electric 1.14 ERA in 55 1/3 innings between High-A and Double-A last season.
  • Andrew Politi, RHP: Politi was tagged for six runs on nine hits and three walks in 8 2/3 spring innings with the Orioles, who returned him to the Red Sox late in camp.
  • Jose Lopez, LHP: Lopez walked five batters in six frames with the Padres this spring, and the Friars returned him to the Rays on March 27.
  • Chris Clarke, RHP: The towering 6’7″ Clarke faced the tough task of cracking a deep Mariners bullpen and was returned to the Cubs late in spring training after allowing four runs on eight hits and a pair of walks in 6 2/3 innings.
  • Zach Greene, RHP: The Mets plucked Greene out of the Yankees’ system, but in 4 2/3 innings during spring training he yielded seven runs with more walks (six) than strikeouts (five). The Mets returned him to the Yankees on March 14.

Orioles Acquire Robbie Glendinning From Royals

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The Orioles announced that they have acquired minor league infielder Robbie Glendinning from the Royals in exchange for cash considerations. Glendinning will report to Triple-A Norfolk. Robert Murray of FanSided reported the deal prior to the official announcement.

Glendinning, 27, is originally from Australia but attended the University of Missouri before being selected by the Pirates in the 21st round of the 2017 draft. He went on to hit .274/.361/.417 through the end of 2019, climbing from Low-A up to Double-A in that time. The minor leagues were canceled by the pandemic in 2020 and Glendinning missed 2021 as well, getting released by the Pirates prior to 2022.

He signed with the Royals last year and played for their Double-A squad, hitting 19 home runs while walking in 14.5% of his plate appearances, though also striking out at a 32.4% clip. He finished the year with a batting line of .252/.373/.439, translating to a wRC+ of 112.

He suited up for the Australian team in this year’s World Baseball Classic, hitting .300/.391/.600 in five games there. He then returned to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and has hit .242/.373/.363 so far this year for a wRC+ of 105, walking at a 16.4% clip while striking out 25.5% of the time.

He’s played all four infield positions in his minor league career but has been limited to the corner spots so far this year. The Orioles announced him as a shortstop, though he hasn’t played that position since 2019. He’ll head to the Triple-A level for the first time in his career and give the O’s a bit more non-roster infield depth.

Jackson Kowar Moving To Bullpen Role

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  • Former top pitching prospect Jackson Kowar is back with the Royals but will move to the bullpen on a long-term basis, writes Jaylon Thompson of the Kansas City Star. Kowar, the No. 33 overall selection in the 2018 draft, was one of several college pitchers around whom the Royals hoped to center their latest rebuilding efforts. It hasn’t gone to plan — either with Kowar specifically or with the rebuild as a whole — as he’s been tattooed for a 10.76 ERA in 46 big league innings. The former Florida Gator standout and top-100 prospect worked near-exclusively as a starter in the minors prior to this season but has made 12 of his 13 appearances in relief in 2023. The transition hasn’t been a smooth one, evidenced by the 26-year-old’s 7.00 ERA and 22-to-15 K/BB ratio in 18 relief innings in Triple-A Omaha, but the team believes enough in the raw stuff to give Kowar a look at the big league level. Manager Matt Quatraro tells Thompson the Royals see Kowar as “someone we can count on going forward.”

Royals Select Mike Mayers

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The Royals announced Wednesday that they’ve selected the contract of veteran right-hander Mike Mayers from Triple-A Omaha. Lefty Amir Garrett was placed on the family medical emergency list in a corresponding 26-man roster move, while left-hander Ryan Yarbrough was transferred to the 60-day IL in order to open a spot on the 40-man roster.

Yarbrough has been on the 15-day IL since May 7, when he was struck in the face by a comeback line-drive off the bat of A’s first baseman Ryan Noda. The Royals announced on May 9 that Yarbrough would not require surgery but had sustained multiple facial fractures and was entering concussion protocol. Today’s shift to the 60-day IL means he’ll be out until at least early July.

Mayers, 31, has seen big league time in seven prior MLB seasons — all split between the Cardinals and Angels. He posted strong numbers with the 2020-21 Halos, logging a combined 3.34 ERA with a 30.5% strikeout rate, 8% walk rate, 35.9% ground-ball rate and 1.11 HR/9 in 105 innings — picking up four saves and 22 holds along the way.

Unfortunately, Mayers’ 2022 campaign more closely mirrored his rough four-year stretch with the Cardinals; in 50 2/3 innings last year, Mayers was tagged for a 5.68 ERA with diminished strikeout abilities and fastball velocity. He also yielded a career-worst 2.66 homers per nine frames with lofty opponents’ exit velocity and hard-hit rate marks (91.2 mph and 48.1%).

The Royals inked Mayers to a minor league contract over the winter, and he’s spent the 2023 season in their Triple-A rotation, where he’s been hit hard. In eight starts, Mayers has lasted just 34 innings with a 6.88 ERA, a sub-par 18.1% strikeout rate and an elevated 10.6% walk rate.

Kansas City has an off-day today and, as such, won’t need a starter in the near future. They’re lined up with Zack Greinke, Jordan Lyles, Brad Keller and Brady Singer to make their scheduled turns Friday through Monday, so it seems likely that Mayers will step into the bullpen and provide some length. The Royals’ pitching staff as a whole has flopped in 2023, as their collective 5.32 ERA ranks 28th in the sport and leads only the White Sox (5.44) and Athletics (7.18).

Royals, Brett de Geus Agree To Minor League Contract

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The Royals have signed reliever Brett de Geus to a minor league deal, according to an announcement from the Frederick team in the Atlantic League. He’ll be assigned to Triple-A Omaha.

de Geus was one of a few former major leaguers who signed with Frederick last month. It only took five appearances there for him to catch the attention of Royals’ evaluators. de Geus threw six innings of two-run ball, striking out six while walking just one of 25 opponents. Kansas City will give him another crack in the affiliated ranks for what’ll be his sixth season in the minors.

The Dodgers originally drafted de Geus in the 33rd round of the 2017 draft. He topped out at High-A in the Los Angeles system before the pandemic shuttered the minor leagues in 2020. The Rangers selected him with the second pick in that year’s Rule 5 draft and carried him on the MLB roster for 18 games. He subsequently landed with the Diamondbacks on waivers and finished the season in the Arizona bullpen.

Between the two clubs, de Geus worked to a 7.56 ERA with a below-average 17.2% strikeout rate over 50 innings. While it wasn’t a great showing, he was making a big jump from the low minors. He was designated for assignment at the end of the year and outrighted to Double-A Amarillo. The 25-year-old struggled there last season, allowing a 5.96 ERA with matching 14.4% strikeout and walk percentages. Arizona released him midway through the season.

Even with middling results, de Geus has had some success keeping the ball on the ground at the upper levels. He’s yet to pitch in Triple-A in his career and will get the opportunity to try to work his way back to the majors. Kansas City has had one of the league’s least effective bullpens thus far. They’re 28th in ERA (5.38) and rank 25th in ground-ball percentage (41.3%).

Franmil Reyes Elects Free Agency

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The Royals announced Thursday that outfielder/designated hitter Franmil Reyes went unclaimed on outright waivers following his DFA earlier this week. He’s rejected an outright assignment from the team in favor of free agency. He can now sign with any club.

Reyes, 27, signed a minor league deal with the Royals back in February and made the team’s Opening Day roster. He slugged a pair of homers early in the season but fell into a swoon that saw him fail to reach base in 20 straight plate appearances. The Royals optioned him to Triple-A at that point, with Reyes toting an ugly .186/.231/.288 batting line and a 36.9% strikeout rate.

That marks a continuation of a downturn that began in 2022, when Reyes hit just .213/.254/.350 with a 37.1% strikeout rate in Cleveland before being placed on waivers and claimed by the Cubs. He improved slightly in Chicago, slashing .234/.301/.389, but it wasn’t enough for the Cubs to keep him the roster. He was outrighted off the 40-man, elected free agency, and eventually signed this deal with Kansas City.

Prior to that ugly 2022 campaign, the 6’5″ Reyes was a feared middle-of-the-order hitter. He’s turned in a pair of 30-homer campaigns in his career, including a career-high 37 big flies in 2019. From 2018-21, he took 1540 plate appearances and batted .260/.325/.503 with 92 home runs between San Diego and Cleveland. Strikeouts were an issue even then, as he fanned in 29.5% of his plate appearances, but he had enough power and drew enough walks (9%) that he was still a well-regarded offensive player (19% better than league-average, by measure of wRC+).

Reyes’ struggles in 2022-23 figure to make it tough for him to land a big league deal that’d place him right back on a 26-man roster, but a team searching for some right-handed power could certainly take a flier on a minor league pact and hope to get Reyes trending back toward that 2018-21 form.

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