Royals' Michael Wacha Draws Trade Attention as Offseason Begins

Trade talks have begun

Sep 15, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (52) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It may be early in the offseason, but it’s never too early to start talking about trade chips. The Kansas City Royals may have endured a disappointing season, but they still have players on their roster who could be trade candidates this offseason.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter published a ranking Monday of the top 25 MLB trade chips for the upcoming offseason. Of the 25 players on the list, one Kansas City Royals player made the cut.

Sliding into the No. 22 spot, Reuter featured veteran starting pitcher Michael Wacha. He highlighted Wacha’s performance this season as a key factor in his trade value.

“No one met the Royals' asking price on Wacha at the deadline, but he could be shopped more aggressively this winter as a reasonably priced veteran starter coming off an All-Star campaign. The 14-year veteran led the AL with 200.2 innings pitched, and his 4.3 WAR was a career-high mark,” Reuter said.

This was certainly the case leading up to the 2026 trade deadline, as Wacha was frequently mentioned as one of the Royals' top trade candidates. However, Kansas City ultimately decided to hold on to the veteran right-hander rather than trade him.

Given how the season unfolded and the injuries the Royals endured, holding on to Wacha appears to have been the right move. While Kansas City could shop him more aggressively this offseason, I don't see the Royals trading him ahead of the 2027 season.

The Royals' rotation remains uncertain, with Cole Ragans, Stephen Kolek and Luinder Avila all having undergone elbow surgery. Their timelines for returning are unclear, leaving Kansas City with a significant hit to its rotation depth.

Wacha and Noah Cameron were bright spots in the rotation and, arguably, the entire pitching staff. While interest in the veteran right-hander could increase as the offseason progresses, Kansas City cannot afford to lose any more pitching depth.