Kansas City Royals Transactions

Sunday, January 15

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Reliever Josh Staumont and the Kansas City Royals avoided salary arbitration after agreeing to a one-year, $1.25 million deal. The 29-year-old has two seasons left of arbitration before becoming a free agent in 2026. Staumont could not access his true, dependable form this past season after a promising 2021 season. In 2022, Staumont displayed a whopping 6.45 ERA across 37 2/3 frames. Although just a year prior, in 2021, the right-hander molded a 2.88 ERA across 64 appearances. However, the 29-year-old landed on the injured list twice this past year, which may have been the cause of his struggles. The Royals hope to tap into Staumont's success and shape him into his true form. Staumont is expected to be used in a high-leverage role for the Royals in 2023.
		The Kansas City Royals and starting pitcher Kris Bubic agreed to a one-year, $2.2 million deal to avoid salary arbitration. The southpaw made 28 starts for the Royals this past season and posted a career-high 5.58 ERA across 129 frames. Bubic struck out 110 batters and whipped up a 4.78 FIP. The 25-year-old has had better years as a starter, and the Royals can only hope that Bubic can move past this roadblock in his career. He is relatively young for a starter which gives him time to alter any flaws in his game. The Royals do not have the most dependable rotation, but Bubic is undoubtedly a vital component of the rotation. However, he will not provide anything significant from a fantasy standpoint and is mainly an option in deep-league formats.

Saturday, January 14

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Kansas City Royals agreed to a one-year, $2.2 million deal on Friday with left-hander Kris Bubic to avoid salary arbitration. Bubic wasn't very good for KC last year, going 3-13 with a career-high 5.58 ERA (4.78 FIP), 1.69 WHIP and career-low 18.7 percent strikeout rate in 129 innings over 28 outings (27 starts) in his third MLB season. The 25-year-old southpaw will be off the fantasy radar in mixed leagues entering spring drafts. In his three seasons with the Royals, he's posted a 4.89 ERA (4.93 FIP), 1.53 WHIP and 20 percent strikeout rate in 67 appearances (57 starts).

Friday, January 13

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Kansas City Royals and middle infielder Nicky Lopez avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $3.7 million deal. Lopez went from hitting .300 in 151 games with the Royals in 2021 to slashing .227/.281/.273 with a .554 OPS in 480 plate appearances and 141 games in 2022. He added no homers, 20 RBI, 51 runs scored and 13 stolen bases. The 27-year-old has never been much of a threat with the lumber, but he's stuck around because of his excellent defensive skills up the middle. He can play second, third and shortstop and will be competing with Michael Massey at the keystone in spring training this year. Lopez isn't very attractive in fantasy for anything other than his modest speed.
		The Kansas City Royals and relief pitcher Amir Garrett avoided salary arbitration on Friday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.65 million deal. Garrett was better in 2022 than he was in his final season in Cincinnati in 2021, but he still wasn't of much use to fantasy managers in his first year with the Royals. He finished with a 4.96 ERA (3.40 FIP), 1.32 WHIP, no saves and a 25 percent strikeout rate in 45 1/3 relief innings covering 60 appearances. Garrett is tough on left-handed hitters but hasn't fared too well otherwise. He'll carry little fantasy appeal in deep holds leagues for a rebuilding Royals team as a setup man in front of closer Scott Barlow.

Tuesday, January 10

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Kansas City Royals signed free-agent first baseman/outfielder Matt Beaty to a minor-league deal on Tuesday that includes an invitation to major-league spring training, according to a source. Beaty played in only 20 major-league games in 2022 with the San Diego Padres, going just 4-for-43 with an RBI, six runs scored and eight strikeouts. The season prior with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he hit .270/.363/.402 with a .765 OPS, seven homers, 40 RBI, 35 runs scored and two stolen bases in 120 games played. With a rebuilding Royals club, the 29-year-old left-handed hitter will give KC some flexibility at first base and in the outfield if he makes the major-league roster out of spring training.

Thursday, January 05

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Kansas City Royals signed free-agent right-hander Nick Wittgren to a minor-league deal this week. Wittgren is likely to receive a non-roster invitation to big-league spring training. The 31-year-old has had a couple bad seasons in 2021 and 2022 with the Cleveland Guardians and St. Louis Cardinals, posting a combined 5.32 ERA (4.52 FIP), a 1.35 WHIP, two saves, 78 strikeouts and 27 walks in 91 1/3 innings over 89 appearances (one start). The Royals will be hoping he can bounce back in 2023 as bullpen depth for the rebuilding organization. In his seven major-league seasons with the Marlins, Guardians and Cardinals, Wittgren has a 3.96 ERA (4.01 FIP), 1.24 WHIP, six saves and a 22.3 percent strikeout rate.

Monday, December 26

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Kansas City Royals signed free agent right-hander Nick Wittgren to a minor-league contract with an invite to their Big League Camp. This will be Wittgren's fourth team over his seven-year career. He spent this past season in the Cardinals bullpen and posted a 5.90 ERA across 29 innings. The 31-year-old made 29 appearances and yielded a 7.5 BB%. In his stint with the Marlins just a few years back, Wittgren was considered a vital component of the Marlins bullpen. The Royals hope to reinvigorate that success Wittgren had as he seeks to make the Royals' Opening Day roster.

Friday, December 23

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Kansas City Royals signed free-agent right-hander Mike Mayers to a minor-league deal on Thursday. Mayers became a free agent this offseason after he rejected an outright assignment from the Los Angeles Angels. The 31-year-old reliever posted a 5.68 ERA (6.37 FIP), a 1.38 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings over 24 appearances (three starts) for the Halos in 2022. There's a good chance he'll see action in the big leagues for the Royals in 2023, and he could even make the Opening Day roster out of spring training. Mayer has a career 5.10 ERA (4.63 FIP), five saves, a 1.40 WHIP and a 24 percent strikeout rate in 236 1/3 innings over 198 outings (six starts). He won't carry any fantasy value.

Tuesday, December 20

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Kansas City Royals and free-agent right-hander Jordan Lyles agreed to a two-year, $17 million deal on Tuesday. Lyles makes a lot of sense for a rebuilding team looking to eat up rotation innings. The 32-year-old had a 4.42 ERA (4.40 FIP), a 1.38 WHIP and an 18.6 percent strikeout rate while going 12-11 in 179 innings over 32 starts for the Baltimore Orioles. He was a little bit better than his career marks of a 5.10 ERA (4.68 FIP), a 1.43 WHIP and a 17.6 percent strikeout rate in 12 major-league seasons with seven different organizations. Lyles will move to a better division for pitchers in the American League Central, but he'll also be nothing more than a deep-league innings eater in fantasy.

Friday, December 16

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Kansas City Royals signed right-handers Brooks Kriske and Cody Poteet, catcher Jakson Reetz and outfielder Seuly Matias to minor-league deals on Thursday. Kriske spent 2022 pitching in Japan and will now head back to the States. In two major-league seasons in 2020 and 2021 with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles, Kriske had a rough 14.40 ERA and 2.20 WHIP with 13 walks and 19 strikeouts in 15 relief innings. Poteet will miss all of the 2023 campaign after having Tommy John surgery in August. Reetz played in two games with the Washington Nationals in 2021 but spent last year between Double-A and Triple-A. Matias played in 99 games for Double-A Northwest Arkansas and hit .225/.330/.424 with 16 home runs and 62 RBI.

Wednesday, December 14

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Kansas City Royals reached a one-year deal with free agent pitcher Ryan Yarbrough Tuesday, per the team's Twitter page. Pitcher Wyatt Mills was designated for assignment in a corresponding move. The 30-year-old lefty spent five seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, compiling a 4.33 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and 19.2% strikeout rate. However, he only pitched 80 innings in 2022 before being designated for assignment, going 3-8 with a 4.50 ERA and 1.38 WHIP. While Yarbrough could serve as a decent back-of-the-rotation option for the Royals, his lack of strikeouts combined with a new poor lineup supporting him limits his fantasy value.

Tuesday, November 15

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Kansas City Royals have avoided arbitration with first baseman Ryan O'Hearn, agreeing to a contract for the 2023 season with the infielder, per a tweet from the team on Tuesday. The 28-year-old hit .239 for the Royals last season, logging a .290 on-base percentage and a home run in 145 plate appearances at the Major League level. He also continued to see time at both first base and in right field, providing the American League Central franchise with some added depth around the diamond.

Thursday, October 13

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Tyler Zuber (shoulder) posted a video on his Twitter account on Wednesday of him throwing again on flat ground. Zuber missed all of the 2022 season while recovering from a right shoulder impingement, but he looks to be healthy now and ready to pitch in 2023. The 27-year-old has posted a 5.29 ERA (5.96 FIP), a 1.58 WHIP and a 55:37 K:BB in 49 1/3 innings in his two major-league seasons with the Royals in 2020 and 2021. He went 0-3 with a rough 6.26 ERA (6.17 FIP), a 1.57 WHIP, 25 strikeouts and 17 walks in 27 1/3 relief innings in his most recent season in 2021.

Wednesday, October 05

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (thumb) isn't in Wednesday's lineup for a matchup with the Cleveland Guardians and right-handed starter Aaron Civale. The veteran is batting .254 with a .292 on-base percentage and 23 home runs for the Royals this year in 473 plate appearances. Sebastian Rivero will start behind the plate instead and hit eighth. Rivero is batting .174 with a .240 on-base percentage in 26 plate appearances for Kansas City this season. Fantasy managers in search of streaming help behind the plate are probably better off looking elsewhere.

Tuesday, October 04

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (thumb) is not in the starting lineup on Tuesday against the Cleveland Guardians. Perez will miss another game, and it remains to be seen if he'll play in the regular season finale on Wednesday. If the 32-year-old backstop cannot return on Wednesday, he'll finish his 2022 season with a .254/.292/.465 slash line with 23 home runs, 76 RBI and 48 runs scored in 473 plate appearances over 114 games. Perez took a step back after hitting a career-high 48 long balls and driving in 121 in 161 games last year, but the seven-time All-Star should remain one of the best power-hitting fantasy catchers in 2023. MJ Melendez is behind the dish again on Tuesday and is hitting leadoff against Guardians right-hander Cal Quantrill.

Monday, October 03

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (thumb) remains out of the starting lineup on Monday against the Cleveland Guardians. Perez is dealing with a sore left thumb and will miss his second straight game. The 32-year-old All-Star backstop is day-to-day and should have a chance to get back into the lineup for one of the final two games of the regular season on Tuesday and Wednesday. With Perez out again to begin the week, rookie MJ Melendez will start behind the plate and bat leadoff against Guardians right-hander Triston McKenzie. The 23-year-old is only hitting .224 (100-for-447) in his first 126 major-league games in 2022, but he does have 18 home runs and 62 RBI. In nine games since Sept. 23, Melendez has gone 9-for-35 (.257) with a homer and five RBI.

Sunday, October 02

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (thumb) is absent from the starting lineup on Sunday vs. the Cleveland Guardians. The veteran catcher has some thumb soreness but this is more of a maintenance day for him. MJ Melendez is starting behind the dish and Edward Olivares is filling in at designated hitter vs. Shane Bieber.

Saturday, September 17

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Kansas City Royals outfielder Edward Olivares (quad) was activated from the 60-day injured list on Saturday and is starting against the Boston Red Sox. The 26-year-old outfielder was out for two months with a left quad strain but he's back with the Royals on Saturday and batting sixth against Rich Hill. Olivares is slashing .303/.358/.434 with three home runs, 12 RBI, and two stolen bases across 99 at-bats this season with Kansas City and should see everyday at-bats for the remainder of the regular season. Nick Pratto was optioned to Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move.
		Kansas City Royals infielder Nick Pratto has been optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Saturday. The team had to make room for Edward Olivares, who was just activated from the 60-day injured list. Pratto mostly struggled when he was up in the majors, slashing .184/.271/.386 with seven home runs and 20 RBI over 158 at-bats. He'll compete for a roster spot with the Royals in spring training but he'll head to the minors to hone his craft for now.

Friday, September 09

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Kansas City Royals reinstated rookie infielder Vinnie Pasquantino (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list on Friday and optioned outfielder Brent Rooker to Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. Pasquantino was shelved at the end of last month with right shoulder discomfort, and he went 3-for-14 with three RBI in four minor league rehab games for Omaha. The 24-year-old left-handed hitter should return to being an everyday starter for the rebuilding Royals to close out the 2022 regular season. Before his shoulder injury, Pasquantino was slashing .263/.350/.434 with eight home runs, 15 RBI and 18 runs scored in 200 plate appearances over 49 games. Get him back into your lineups in deeper mixed leagues.

Monday, September 05

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Kansas City Royals manager Mike Matheny said that starting pitcher Zack Greinke (forearm) will return from the injured list on Wednesday to start against the Cleveland Guardians. Greinke has been on the shelf since late August with a right forearm injury, but he'll be available once again for fantasy managers in deeper leagues on Wednesday. The 38-year-old right-hander doesn't have a ton of upside left in his right arm, and he'll be extra risky on Wednesday without having made a minor league rehab start. Greinke has an ERA under 3.00 in six starts since the All-Star break, but overall he's 4-8 with a 4.14 ERA (4.27 FIP), a 1.35 WHIP, 64 strikeouts and 21 walks in 108 2/3 innings pitched over his 21 starts in his first year back in KC.

Sunday, September 04

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (hand) is back in the lineup on Sunday in the series finale against the Detroit Tigers. Perez didn't play Saturday after being struck in the hand by a pitch during Friday's game. The 32-year-old catcher is starting behind the dish and batting third against Tigers starter Matt Manning. Perez has battled injuries and inconsistency all season but has still put up some decent counting stats with 19 home runs and 63 RBI. His .236/.275/.452 batting line across 90 games leaves a lot to be desired, however.

Saturday, September 03

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (hand) was removed from Friday's game against the Detroit Tigers after he was hit by a pitch. Perez went 0-for-2 with a strikeout before he took a 93 mph fastball off of his hand during the sixth inning. He was replaced at catcher by Sebastian Rivero. Look for the Royals to update Perez's status upon the completion of Friday's contest. Perez is hitting .236 with 19 homers, 39 runs and 63 RBI on the season.
		Kansas City Royals manager Mike Matheny said that X-rays came back negative on catcher Salvador Perez (hand) after he was forced to leave Friday's game early against the Detroit Tigers. He's dealing with a right hand contusion and is day-to-day with soreness for now. Perez was hit by a pitch on his right hand in the top of the sixth inning. The 32-year-old backstop went 0-for-2 with a strikeout before leaving, and he's now hitting .236/.275/.452 with 19 home runs, 63 RBI and 39 runs scored on the season in 352 at-bats. Fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if Perez isn't in the starting lineup on Saturday against Tigers right-hander Michael Pineda.
		Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (hand) is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Detroit Tigers. Perez left Friday's game early and was diagnosed with a right hand contusion after X-rays came back negative. It is likely that the veteran backstop is just feeling sore and needs an extra day or two to get back to full strength. Perez had a bounceback month in August, slashing .309/.342/.509 with six homers and 22 RBI, which is what fantasy managers expected from the 32-year-old when they drafted him in the top four rounds. MJ Melendez will catch for the Royals in Perez's absence.
		Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment Saturday with Triple-A Omaha. The 24-year-old has been on the IL since August 22 when he felt pain in his shoulder after an awkward swing. He was eligible to return on Friday, but he wasn't quite ready. The team decided he needed a short rehab stint, but he should return early next week if things go well. The rookie masher was tremendous in August, slashing .329/.392/.600 with five homers. He needs to be rostered in all fantasy leagues moving forward, as his upside is among the highest in the game.

Thursday, September 01

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (back) was scratched from Wednesday's lineup against the Chicago White Sox due to back tightness. He is considered day-to-day, and his next chance to return to the lineup is Thursday against Chicago. The 32-year-old has been locked in at the plate recently, logging a seven-game hitting streak while hitting .448 (13-for-29) with two home runs, nine RBI, and five runs during that span. MJ Melendez will handle catching duties and would see an uptick in playing time if Perez were forced to miss any additional games. Stay tuned for further updates.
		Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (back) is back behind the plate and is batting third on Thursday against the Chicago White Sox and right-hander Johnny Cueto. Perez was scratched from Wednesday's starting lineup with back tightness, but it obviously wasn't a serious concern. The 32-year-old veteran backstop needs to be returned to all fantasy lineups, as he hit an impressive .309 (34-for-110) with six home runs, 22 RBI and 12 runs scored in 28 games in the month of August to raise his season slash line to .241/.279/.461 with 19 homers, 63 RBI and 39 runs scored in 345 at-bats. In nine at-bats against the veteran Cueto, Perez is hitting .222 with one RBI.

Wednesday, August 24

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Kansas City Royals placed right-hander Zack Greinke (forearm) on the 15-day injured list with right forearm tightness on Wednesday and recalled right-hander Collin Snider from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. The Royals also placed right-hander Josh Staumont (biceps) on the 15-day IL and recalled left-hander Anthony Misiewicz from Omaha. Greinke's IL stint is retroactive to Aug. 21. The 38-year-old Greinke will miss a couple turns through the rotation. At this point in his career on a rebuilding Royals club, Greinke doesn't have much fantasy appeal with his career-low 13.7 percent strikeout rate. He's gone 4-8 with a 4.14 ERA (4.28 FIP), 1.35 WHIP, 64 strikeouts and 21 walks in 108 2/3 innings over 21 starts.

Tuesday, August 23

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (shoulder) left Monday's game in the second inning after he felt some pain in his shoulder during a swing. After the contest ended, he downplayed the injury, telling reporters that he has "felt similar things before in the past." He went on to say that he is not worried about his shoulder due to his past experience with a similar issue. Pasquantino will be evaluated on Tuesday, so stay tuned.
		The Kansas City Royals placed rookie first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder discomfort on Tuesday and recalled right-hander Jonathan Heasley from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. The Royals also optioned right-hander Collin Snider to Omaha and recalled catcher Sebastian Rivero from Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Pasquantino has hit .263 with eight home runs, 15 RBI and 18 runs scored in his first 49 major league games and has quickly become one of the rebuilding Royals' best hitters. Fantasy managers should keep him stashed in all leagues. The 24-year-old's injury isn't believed to be too serious, so hopefully he can return when he's eligible on Sept. 2.

Monday, August 22

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Kansas City Royals recalled outfield prospect Drew Waters from Triple-A Omaha on Monday and optioned outfielder Nate Eaton in a corresponding move. Waters will make his major league debut on Monday and will start in right field and bat ninth against Chicago White Sox right-hander Michael Kopech. The 23-year-old is the Royals' No. 9 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and he was acquired from the Atlanta Braves in July. In 31 games for Omaha, he hit .295/.399/.541 with a .940 OPS, seven home runs, 17 RBI, 29 runs scored and 13 stolen bases. Waters is a switch-hitter with plenty of raw power, but he does have some swing and miss to his game, although he made strides to cut down on his strikeout rate the last two years. He should at least be in the short side of a platoon in the outfield in KC in his first taste of the big leagues.
		Kansas City Royals rookie first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (shoulder) left the game early on Monday against the Chicago White Sox with right shoulder discomfort. Pasquantino looked to be in serious pain after a swing and was replaced by infielder Nick Pratto. For now, fantasy managers must consider Pasquantino as day-to-day but be prepared for the worst. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger has held his own in his first taste of major league pitching this year, slashing .264/.348/.437 with eight home runs, 15 RBI and 17 runs scored in his first 198 big-league plate appearances over 48 games played for the Royals. Check back for updates on the severity of his shoulder injury.

Thursday, August 18

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Kansas City Royals first baseman and outfielder Hunter Dozier was officially activated from the paternity list on Thursday afternoon. He'll get the start against the Tampa Bay Rays, batting fifth and patrolling right field. The 30-year-old has produced mediocre numbers this season, slashing .244/.307/.403 with 10 homers, 35 RBI, 30 walks and 92 strikeouts. With eligibility at multiple spots, Dozier is worth rostering in deeper leagues or as a cheaper option in daily fantasy lineups.