Inside The Royals

Did Royals Miss Huge Opportunity To Bolster Rotation? 'I'm A Little Concerned'

A hurler who would've helped Kansas City was swooped up by the Orioles on Friday
Colin Keane|
Jul 30, 2021; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A Kansas City Royals hat and glove in the dugout during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Jul 30, 2021; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A Kansas City Royals hat and glove in the dugout during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

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Kansas City Royals

Did the Kansas City Royals miss out on a crucial opportunity to bolster their rotation?

Kansas City’s rotation is all but established with the regular season less than a week away. Kris Bubic is rumored to be the frontrunner for the fifth starter role alongside Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, and Michael Lorenzen in the rotation.

But if one or more of these arms misses time in 2025, the Royals don’t have a ton of depth to step in and keep the season rolling from a starting pitching standpoint.

It’s a concern that The Athletic’s Jim Bowden raised while summarizing Kansas City’s offseason moves this week.

“I’m a little concerned about their starting pitching depth and would like to see them acquire another starter, such as free agent Kyle Gibson,” Bowden wrote.

The 37-year-old veteran Gibson would have been a nice addition for Kansas City indeed, but that’s unfortunately no longer a possibility.

On Friday, the Baltimore Orioles announced that they had signed Gibson.

“We have agreed to terms with RHP Kyle Gibson on a one-year contract for the 2025 season,” the team posted to X.

Gibson previously pitched for the Orioles in 2023. He was an All-Star in 2021 with the Philadelphia Phillies.

For what it’s worth, the Royals still received a “B” grade from Bowden for their offseason. Bowden also predicted that they will win the American League Central.

Gibson would’ve been a wise add, but the Royals can obviously still acquire additional pitching between now and the Major League Baseball trade deadline at the end of July.

There’s plenty of time for Kansas City to keep crafting their rotation.

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Colin Keane
COLIN KEANE

Colin Keane is a writer for Kansas City Royals On SI. He graduated from Villanova University with a Major degree in English and a Minor degree in Business. Covering NBA, MLB, NFL and college basketball, he has contributed to various outlets including NESN and FanSided.

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