Anne Rogers of MLB.com writes that the Royals received a call for each of them Noah Cameron, Ryan Bergert And Stephen Kolek. (The Cardinals are among the teams known to like Cameron, who has a 2.99 ERA over 24 starts as a rookie.) Bergert and Kolek are less established but also have more extensive periods of club control. Bergert has not yet reached a full year of service and has been under control for six seasons; Kolek has just over a year of service, so he is controllable for five years.
The two right-handers landed in Kansas City in the same deadline trade this summer. The Royals picked up both arms in a trade that sent a backup catcher Freddy Fermin to the Padres. It was a nice thing for Picollo and his staff. Bergert combined for a 3.66 earned run average with a solid 22.6% strikeout rate through his first 19 MLB appearances. He sits in the 93-94 MPH range and has an above average slider. If he can develop a better changeup or add a cutter against left-handed hitters, he could be a mid-rotation arm.
Kolek is a former Rule 5 selection who returned to the rotation after spending his rookie year in San Diego’s bullpen. He also sits in the 93-94 MPH range with his fastball and uses six pitches with regularity. Kolek’s stuff has never seen much play, but he was hitting at a strong 51.4% clip over 19 starts this year. He logged 112 2/3 innings of 3.51 ERA ball, and while that’s better than his peripherals suggest, he looks like a fine fourth/fifth starter.
As it stands now, neither Bergert nor Kolek project as one of the top five starters on the depth chart. Cole Ragans, Michael Wacha, Seth LugoBubic and Cameron would be the front five if everyone is healthy. Bergert and Kolek have minor league options, so they could start the season in Triple-A. Bailey Falter is out of options and will likely be ticketed to long-term waivers if he remains on the roster throughout the offseason.
It’s unlikely the Royals will trade Wacha or Lugo, each of whom recently signed significant extensions. They’ll likely hear from teams about Cameron, but the asking price would be significant, even if his mediocre 20.5% strikeout rate suggests he’s unlikely to have another sub-3.00 season. The only pitcher who almost definitively takes the team off the table is Ragans.
“We’re in a really good spot, so if the right trade comes along and it costs us a starting pitcher, we’ll have to look at it. It’s just not going to be Cole,” Picollo told Rogers. He then left the door ajar with the caveat that another team might offer “something crazy,” but pointed out that they would be selling low for an ace-caliber pitcher who had missed much of the season due to a rotator cuff strain.
“We have to ask ourselves, is this his maximum value at this point? Probably not,” Picollo said. “If Cole pitches like he did in ’24, who knows what his value will be? We’re thinking now, after three years of controlling a really good starting pitcher, that it has to be something crazy, like, ‘How can we let this pass us by?'”
The focus for Kansas City remains acquiring multiple outfielders, one apiece in trade and free agency. Rogers writes that they are specifically looking for a right-handed hitter who can play center field. Harrison Bader is the best free agent midfielder, while Jake Meyers fits into that picture on the trade front. Unsurprisingly, the Royals have been linked to both players this week. Speculatively speaking, Colorados Brenton Doyle is another possibility, though he’s having a terrible offensive season and might be too redundant for another glove-only player Kyle Isbel. Talents from the higher segment Byron Buxton And Luis Robert Jr. It’s unlikely they’ll make any moves this offseason, and that’s before we get into the difficulty of lining up a trade within the division.
In free agency, Rogers mentions JJ Bleday, Adolis Garcia And Avenue Thomas as players that the front office has taken into account. All three are targets for recovery, and none should be an everyday option in midfield. García is a full-time corner outfielder. Bleday and Thomas played center, but fit better in right field, especially in a spacious outfield. García will be the most expensive of that trio, but they will all likely sign one-year deals.
While the outfield is still the priority, Picollo called adding a reliever a “secondary” goal. There will be another left-handed one Angel Zerpa And Daniel Lynch IV would be preferable. It’s a tough call for free agent lefty relievers, but the Royals are facing budget constraints and aren’t likely to spend much money on them. Danny Coulombe, Hobby Milner, Caleb Ferguson, Caleb Thielbar And Drew Pomeranz are among the available free agents. The cardinals JoJo Romero is the most obvious bullpen trade candidate of the winter. Tanner Banks, Keegan Akin And Brandon Eisert are a few other players that could be available for modest trading returns.
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