The Kansas City Royals have had a disappointing season. They made the postseason in 2024 as a wild card team, but have not been able to get over the hump. They missed the playoffs last season and are in the midst of a losing season this year.
In all likelihood, this is a team that will sell at the trade deadline rather than buy. One player that has been floated around in trade rumors is right-hander Michael Wacha, who earned his second All-Star nod this season.
However, Bob Nightengale of USA Today notes that while the Royals will at least listen to offers, fans shouldn’t expect anything more than that.
“The Royals will listen but have no intention of trading Michael Wacha, who not only made the All-Star team for the first time in 11 years but is considered an invaluable clubhouse leader,” Nightengale reported. “He also is under team control at $14 million a season through 2028.”
Kansas City Royals ‘Have No Intention’ to Trade Michael Wacha: Insider
Wacha is somebody that teams are going to have interest in. He’s a strong veteran presence for the Royals and could benefit a team in contention and is also somebody that can be trusted to start big games.
Back in 2013, he was the MVP of the National League championship series as a rookie with the St. Louis Cardinals, so he is perfectly capable of delivering results in the postseason. However, the Royals don’t appear to have rebuilding on their bingo card anytime soon, which could be driving their decision to want to keep Wacha.
Perhaps the Royals believe they have the proper core in place to bounce back into contention in 2027 or 2028. Wacha has a club option for 2028, so if the Royals are going to contend in the near future, it would make sense to have Wacha around.
The 35-year-old right-hander is 5-7 with a 3.77 ERA in 19 starts with the Royals this year. He also has already pitched 119 1/3 innings, so he can still be relied on to go deep into games.
But the Royals seem to only want to move him if they get the right offer for him. In that case, a trade would make sense, as long as it allows them to bounce back quickly.
The Royals are likely out of contention this season, but they can still build for next year, and having Wacha around might be the best way for them to ultimately do that.
These Teams Could Pry Michael Wacha Away From Royals
While the Royals may want to keep Wacha, there is always a chance a team is willing to overpay for him. There are three teams that might be able to pry him away from Kansas City.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are an obvious contender to do that, given their desire to win a third consecutive title and their strong farm system. The Atlanta Braves and Toronto Blue Jays also have clear starting rotation needs.
The Royals will have to be blown away by an offer in order to trade Wacha though.
Royals ‘Have No Intention’ to Trade $51 Million All-Star Pitcher: Insider