Kansas City Royals DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

MLB.com's Anne Rogers reports that Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever James McArthur (elbow) had right-elbow surgery in the offseason, specifically having two screws put in his arm to stabilize an olecranon fracture. McArthur has just resumed his throwing program/progression and will be delayed at the start of spring training as a result. The 28-year-old could still be ready for the start of the 2025 regular season at the end of March, but he's not on the fantasy radar after blowing seven saves in 2024 and being demoted from the closer role. At best, he'll be a middle reliever for the Royals after they added Carlos Estevez this offseason and Lucas Erceg late last year. McArthur had a brutal 6.87 ERA in the second half of 2024, but that could have been mainly due to a Grade 1 UCL sprain in his elbow.

MLB.com's Anne Rogers reports the Kansas City Royals right-hander Alec Marsh (shoulder) experienced right-shoulder tightness this offseason. Marsh is back on track and is throwing every day, but he might be delayed in spring training slightly in regards to facing hitters, according to manager Matt Quatraro. The Royals are taking it day-to-day with the 26-year-old in camp. It's not too much of a concern for Marsh right now, but if his shoulder issues return, it could cost him a chance at the No. 5 starting rotation spot in spring training as he competes primarily with Kris Bubic. Marsh opened up 2024 solid with a 3.63 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 67 innings over his first 12 starts, but he posted a 5.52 ERA the rest of the season and was eventually demoted to a bullpen role. His strikeout rate dropped to a below-average 22.5% and he had trouble limited hard contact and homers. Marsh can be ignored in mixed fantasy leagues, even if he wins a rotation spot.

According to Anne Rogers of MLB.com, Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Kyle Wright (shoulder) "may be a little behind" in his throwing progression. Wright missed the entire 2024 campaign after undergoing surgery to repair a torn capsule in his right shoulder. While Wright has been throwing off the mound during the offseason, he may not be a full-go early on in spring training. Rogers noted that this could open the door for Kris Bubic and Alec Marsh to be viewed as the favorites to land the final spot in the rotation. Daniel Lynch IV and Jonathan Bowlan could also be in the mix as well. Wright enjoyed the best season of his career in 2022 when he posted a 21-5 record with a 3.19 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP with the Atlanta Braves. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor Wright's status as he could make a case to earn the final spot in the rotation if he has a successful spring training.

According to Dan Hayes of The Athletic, the Minnesota Twins have inquired about free-agent infielders Luis Urias and Paul DeJong. Hayes noted that shortly after the team acquired outfielder Harrison Bader and reliever Danny Coulombe, the focus shifted to adding an infielder. Urias spent his entire 2024 season with the Seattle Mariners. Across 109 games, the 27-year-old posted a .191/.303/.394 line with just four home runs. DeJong began his season with the Chicago White Sox and was eventually shipped to Kansas City. Across 139 contests, the 31-year-old went deep 24 times and posted a .227/.276/.427 slash line. However, he posted a hefty 32.4 percent strikeout rate. If the Twins were to sign one of them, they would be deployed as a rotational piece within the infield and would likely not have a starting role.

The St. Louis Cardinals announced on Friday that they signed free-agent right-hander Nick Anderson to a minor-league contract with a non-roster invite to major-league spring training. The 34-year-old veteran reliever has appeared in 165 games over five MLB seasons since debuting with the Miami Marlins in 2019. In his time in the majors, he has put up a nice 3.18 ERA with a 31.6 percent strikeout rate in 158 1/3 relief innings. Anderson pitched for the Kansas City Royals in 2024, going 3-1 with a 4.04 ERA (5.07 FIP), a 1.40 WHIP, one save, 29 strikeouts and 15 walks in 35 2/3 innings. He hasn't been a big strikeout guy since his first full season with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2020, when he struck out 44.8% of the hitters he faced. In comparison, he had a weak 19% strikeout rate for KC last year. Anderson could provide veteran relief depth for the Red Birds, but he should remain off the fantasy radar for now.