Kansas City Royals DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

The New York Yankees have checked in on free-agent right-hander Michael Lorenzen. The Chicago White Sox, who just traded ace Dylan Cease to the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night, are another team in play for Lorenzen. Chicago also just moved righty Michael Kopech to the bullpen. The Yankees are going to be without reigning American League Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole (elbow) for at least one to two months and potentially longer to open the 2024 regular season, so they could certainly use some rotation help. The 32-year-old Lorenzen tossed a no-hitter in 2023 after being traded from the Tigers to the Phillies, but he ultimately had a 5.51 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in 11 appearances (seven starts) for the Phils and ended the year out of the rotation in the postseason. Lorenzen's low strikeout numbers don't make him very attractive for fantasy, which would especially be the case if he landed in the Bronx.

Kansas City Royals catcher/designated hitter Salvador Perez is batting .267 with one home run and three RBI in 15 at-bats this spring while seeing time both at catcher and designated hitter. The 33-year-old also spent time at first base in 2023 while slashing .255/.292/.422 with 23 home runs, 59 runs scored, and 80 RBI in 580 plate appearances. Age and wear will get to Perez at some point, but his ability to rack up PA while playing multiple positions and serving as DH still makes him a higher-end fantasy catcher. It is encouraging to see the Royals managing his time behind the plate while still getting him in the lineup.

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans made his second start of the spring on Friday, pitching well in a 5-4 Cactus League win over the Oakland Athletics. The southpaw went three innings, allowing just one hit while walking one and striking out three. Ragans struck out the first two batters he faced on three pitches each and now has a total of eight strikeouts in just five innings of work across his two starts with no earned runs allowed. After joining the Royals from the Rangers last season, Ragans was superb as a starter and he'll look to maintain that momentum in 2024. If these two starts are any indication of that, it appears he's picking up where he left off.

In Kansas City Royals right-hander Brady Singer's Cactus League debut on Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners, he showcased two new pitches -- a four-seam fastball and a sweeper. Singer had an up-and-down year in 2023, posting a career-worst 5.52 ERA in a career-high 159 2/3 innings pitched. His sinker remains his bread and butter, but mixing in a four-seamer and sweeper now could make the young starter more effective. All three of Singer's strikeouts on Wednesday came on his sweeper in two innings of work. His four-seamer has good carry and "explodes on the hitter because of the true backspin," pitching coach Brian Sweeney said. Perhaps the new pitches will give the 27-year-old more strikeout potential after being mostly a two-pitch guy up to this point in his career. Fantasy managers in shallow-mixed leagues can be patient.

The New York Mets have recently checked in on free-agent starting pitchers, including right-hander Michael Lorenzen, according to league sources. However, the communication likely reflects a desire to stay connected if they have another injury rather than imminent, serious interest. New York's top starter, Kodai Senga, has already been shut down for three weeks due to a strain in the back of his shoulder. FanGraphs projects the Mets to have the sixth-worst rotation in the majors, so adding more pitching depth would be a good idea. They are banking on a bounce-back from Luis Severino and steps forward from Sean Manaea and Tylor Megill. Other options to beef up the rotation besides Lorenzen include lefties Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery and righty Mike Clevinger.