The MLB offseason is winding down and spring training camps open in just a few weeks, but it’s hard to ignore the holes that still exist in the Kansas City Royals’ roster. After starting the winter with a bang by re-signing starter Michael Wacha and acquiring second baseman Jonathan India from the Cincinnati Reds, the Royals’ fell quiet, and though they’ve been more active lately, there are plenty of upgrades that could still be made.
The list of names left on the free agent market continues to shrink each day, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still players who would fit the Royals’ needs before 2025. With that in mind, here are four free agents that Kansas City should consider adding to the roster before Opening Day.
Carlos Estévez, RHP
After their disappointing performance in 2024, it’s hardly a secret that the Royals’ bullpen could use significant bolstering before this season. Last year, Kansas City’s relief corps ranked 20th in MLB with a 4.13 ERA and last in strikeouts at 463, but still, the team is yet to acquire a high-leverage arm to boost the group’s performance or set up closer Lucas Erceg.
The Royals have been linked to a number of relievers this winter — including Kirby Yates before the Dodgers snapped him up earlier this week — but the team is yet to pounce, and the list of available bullpen arms is rapidly shrinking. Fortunately, right-hander Carlos Estévez is one of the few pitchers left on the market, and he could be exactly what the Royals need.
The Athletic listed Estévez as the 28th top free agent of the 2024-25 winter, and coming off a career-best season, it’s easy to see why. The 32-year-old started last season with the Los Angeles Angels, and compiled a 2.38 ERA, 0.74 WHIP, 32 strikeouts, and 20 saves in 34 innings of work before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies at the deadline. Estévez pitched 21 innings for the Phillies before the end of the regular season, posting a 2.57 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 18 strikeouts, and 6 saves.
Admittedly, Estévez may be a regression risk. His ERA between the Angels and Phillies last year was an impressive 2.45, but his career ERA sits at 4.21, and prior to 2024, the lowest ERA he’d managed was 3.47 in 2022. Still, there’s no denying that his 2024 campaign was strong, and if he can even come close to those stats again, he’ll be a worthy addition to the Royals’ bullpen.
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