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The Kansas City Royals’ string of smaller offseason moves continued late on Thursday night after the team made their first free agent signing of the winter.<\/p>\n
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The Royals confirmed that they’ve signed former Detroit Tigers closer Alex Lange<\/a> to a one-year contract, which MLB.com’s Anne Rogers reported was worth $900K<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n We have agreed to terms on a contract with RHP Alex Lange for 2026. Lange is a Lee’s Summit West High School grad.<\/p>\n Welcome to the Royals, Alex! pic.twitter.com\/n9Ugt0M7fO<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Kansas City Royals (@Royals) November 21, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n <\/p>\n Lange was made available on the market earlier this week after the Tigers released him on Tuesday.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This move comes the same day they finalized a one-year deal to avoid arbitration with James McArthur<\/a> and just over a week after they made a pair of depth trades for both outfielder Kameron Misner<\/a> and once promising prospect starter Mason Black<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n This signing would’ve been bigger news two seasons ago when Lange anchored the Tigers’ bullpen. In 67.0 innings across 66 outings in 2023, the righty threw to a serviceable 3.68 ERA and .181 BAA while converting 26 saves.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And that was off the back of arguably an even better 2022 campaign where Lange really broke onto the scene with a 3.41 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and .200 BAA.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n But that’s not the reality the Royals or Lange are in right now, as the veteran hurler is coming off of a pair of less than ideal seasons.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In 2024, after throwing to mid-4.00s ERA and 1.77 WHIP, Detroit demoted Lange to Triple-A Toledo in May and never called him back up that year. And the 2025 season was marred by injury and another demotion to Triple-A, as he threw only one major league inning.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While it’s unlikely that he’ll be the guy to occupy high-leverage innings for the Royals next season, there’s certainly reasons why taking this chance makes a whole lot of sense. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Lange is a strong strikeout arm, posting K\/9 totals above 10.00 in each season from 2022 to 2024 and was great at inducing whiffs and keeping the ball on the ground in his heyday – he sat in the 85th percentile or higher in both categories in 2022 and 2023.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While he’s always been susceptible to high walk rates – never posting a BB\/9 mark below 4.00 – and of course has been all around poor when healthy the past two seasons, with Lange still possessing a minor league option, they don’t have to be married to the idea of keeping him in the major leagues if he doesn’t look strong.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n So, to land a hometown Missouri native with closer upside, little risk with that minor league option and on a deal worth under $1 million, there’s not a whole lot of downside to be had here.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n\n
Royals take high upside flier on former division rival Alex Lange<\/h2>\n