Reliable Royals Starter Could Bolt For Red Sox This Offseason
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The Kansas City Royals spent money this past offseason to significantly improve their starting rotation.
They added Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo, both of whom having given the rotation a major boost. Meanwhile, Bobby Witt Jr. has thrust his way into the conversation for the American League MVP Award.
However, the Royals may run into a little trouble if Wacha opts out of his contract. A team like the Boston Red Sox could potentially reunite with the veteran right-hander and pluck him away from Kansas City.
Wacha has pitched well enough this season that he is a safe bet to decline his $16 million player option for 2025," Joel Reuter wrote in Bleacher Report. "It's not out of the question to think he could stay in Kansas City on a new contract, but he has pitched his way to a fresh multiyear deal."
Wacha could very well end up on the Red Sox radar. They could be a threat to the Royals plans to re-sign him, if they enter the fray.
Losing the veteran right-hander would certainly hurt the Royals and also would make their road back to the postseason a little tougher. Boston hung around in the Wild Card race this year and remained close to Kansas City for a large portion of the schedule.
The Royals would still have Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo, but would likely need to find a replacement in the middle of their rotation for Wacha if he leaves. We'll see if they are able to outbid other teams this winter.
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Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Communication and currently writes as a contributor for various platforms covering Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.
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