Royals, Rays Complete Trade Sending 3-Team MLB Vet To Kansas City

Will this righty factor into the bullpen picture for the Royals?

Feb 21, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Joey Krehbiel (47) checks the New York Yankees runner at first during the first inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Dave Nelson-Imagn Images | Dave Nelson-Imagn Images

Some trades fly under the radar in the moment, but that doesn't mean they can't be impactful.

The Kansas City Royals made one of those trades on Wednesday, just as they were getting set for a series finale they would ultimately win against the Chicago Cubs. But the player they acquired hasn't pitched in the majors all season.

The Royals acquired right-handed pitcher Joey Krehbiel, a four-year major league veteran who last pitched in the big leagues in 2023, from the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for cash considerations.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times was the first to report the news of the trade.

Krehbiel, 32, spent the entire season pitching for the Triple-A Durham Bulls. He's got a 6.11 ERA in 35 1/3 innings, striking out 34 and allowing 47 hits. He's got a four-pitch mix, pairing a 94-mile-per-hour fastball with a cutter, sinker, and changeup.

In 74 major league innings from 2018 to 2023, Krehbiel sports a 3.65 ERA and 57 strikeouts. He pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2018, the Rays and Baltimore Orioles in 2021, then the Orioles exclusively in 2022 and 2023.

Is this a high-impact move on the surface? No, because Krehbiel hasn't proven he's a major league caliber reliever in quite some time. But the Royals migth see something in his pitch mix they think they can tweak, and one never knows if that could turn a mediocre pitcher into a good one.

Krehbiel doesn't have a 40-man roster spot, so someone will need to be traded, designated for assignment, or placed on the 60-day injured list if the Royals ever want to call him up.

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