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  • Major League Notes

    Notes about the team are posted here.

    53 rumors in this category

      Matthew Lenz

      So far this offseason, which is three days old, the Kansas City Royals have lost two pitchers for the 2026 season. Now, there's a third.

      Jon Heyman of the NY Post is reporting that former 5th overall pick and Cy Young vote getter, Kyle Wright, has been placed on outright waivers by the club. If he clears waivers, he will have the option to reject the assignment and become a free agent.

      It's been a tough road for Wright ever since his Cy Young worthy campaign in 2022. He's dealt with a variety of injuries over the three seasons, resulting in just seven big league starts and 19 starts across four different levels. Wright was acquired from the Atlanta Braves ahead of the 2024 season, but missed the entire season due to surgery repairing the anterior capsule in his right shoulder. He made eight stats in 2025 across Double-A and Triple-A sporting a 5.48 ERA and 21:14 K:BB ratio over 23 innings.

      Given his upside, he's likely to find a home in 2026, though it may come in the form of a Minor League deal. Do you think the Royals should pull the trigger? Let us know in the comments!

      Kevin O'Brien

      On Monday afternoon, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reported that right-handed pitcher Alec Marsh had a labral repair on his right shoulder last month. According to Rogers, the 27-year-old, who missed all of 2025 due to a shoulder injury, may be looking at up to a year of recovery. 

       

      Marsh was a key pitcher for the Royals during their 86-76 season in 2024. In his first full season with the Royals, he posted a 4.53 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 129 IP. While his ERA was high, it was an improvement from his 5.69 ERA in 74.1 IP in 2023, and his 4.34 FIP and 3.15 K/BB ratio illustrated that he may have been better than his ERA in 2024. 

      Before his injury, the Royals were unsure whether Marsh would return to the rotation or remain in the bullpen, where he pitched at the end of the 2024 season. However, he suffered his injury early in Spring Training and didn't throw a single pitch at the Minor or Major League level in 2025. 

      The injury to Marsh hurts the possible depth of a Royals staff that was heavily affected by injuries last year. Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic missed significant time due to shoulder injuries, though Ragans returned in September. Kyle Wright pitched in the Minor Leagues, but was shut down during his rehab and didn't throw a pitch at the MLB level. Seth Lugo was also shut down at the end of the season due to a back issue. 

      With Michael Lorenzen a free agent, the Royals may look for pitching on the free agent or trade market to replace Marsh's spot on the 40-man roster for 2026. 

       

      Photo Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

      Matthew Lenz

      The 2025-2026 offseason officially got underway Sunday following game 7 of the World Series on Saturday. Yesterday, it was announced that the Kansas City Royals declined the mutual option for veteran Starting Pitcher Michael Lorenzen. Today, we have more news impacting the 2026 roster.

      Per the Kansas City Royals' official Twitter account, Randal Grichuk has declined his mutual option for 2026.

      Grichuk played 113 games during the 2025 season, split between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Kansas City Royals after being acquired by the Royals in July. The outfielder primarily saw action at designated hitter (45 games) and right field (40 games). At the plate, Grichuk recorded nine home runs and produced an overall .674 OPS. Advanced metrics for the year showed a .289 wOBA and a wRC+ of 82. 

      Though he wasn't great, he provided a solid veteran depth option for a team that dealt with a variety of injuries. Looking ahead to 2026, they will likely want to target a more productive depth piece as their bench options are light. Do you think they should look to re-sign Grichuk? Let us know in the comments!

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