The Royals added another arm to the system on waivers, claiming right-hander Spencer Bivens from the Giants and sending him to Triple-A, the club announced.
San Francisco had designated Bivens for assignment earlier in the week, and his roster spot disappeared Wednesday when the Giants made their own waiver move, claiming right-hander Duncan Davitt from the Braves. Bivens had spent his entire pro career in the Giants organization and has logged parts of three big-league seasons there.
His path to the majors was anything but direct. After two seasons at Division II Rogers State, Bivens moved into independent ball and spent time with several teams in 2020 and 2021 before the Giants brought him in during 2022. He climbed fast after that, and a 2.92 ERA with eight saves at Triple-A in 2024 earned him his first call to the majors.
Once he reached San Francisco, Bivens became a familiar but intermittent piece of the bullpen. His heaviest workload came last season, when he made 54 appearances.
Most of that work came in a multi-inning role, though he also picked up three saves and four holds. This year, though, he barely got a foothold.
He appeared in just four games, and his most recent MLB stint lasted two outings, both of which ended with four earned runs allowed.
Even as a reliever, Bivens brings a deep mix. Across all three of his MLB seasons, he’s used at least six pitches, with a sinker serving as his main weapon around 40% of the time.
He also mixes in a four-seamer, cutter, changeup and two breaking balls. For now, he’ll report to Omaha and wait for his next shot with Kansas City.
In Other News...
Royals Have 2 Obvious Offseason Fits For Their Biggest Lineup Flaw
The Royals have made progress at the plate since last season, but one issue has continued to hang over the lineup: getting on base the hard way. Even with the improvement, Kansas City still sits near the bottom of the league in walk rate, and that has left too many innings feeling too short and too dependent on contact going exactly the right way.
That is why the upcoming offseason could point them toward a couple of familiar offensive profiles in Brandon Lowe and Randy Arozarena. Both are entering their age-32 seasons and should be available in free agency, and both bring the kind of patience and run production that would fit a club trying to add more balance to its order. The fit makes sense on paper, even if the Royals will still have to decide how aggressively to chase it. [Read more 🡒]
Jac Caglianone Is Back But Royals Still Have A Lineup Problem
Jac Caglianone is back in the Royals lineup, and that alone is a welcome development for a club trying to keep its offense moving. After recovering from a Grade 1 left elbow flexor strain, the slugger returned as the designated hitter against the Boston Red Sox, giving Kansas City another middle-of-the-order bat at a time when every bit of production matters. He has put together a strong season, hitting .282 with 23 home runs and 70 RBIs.
The catch is that his return does not fully solve the Royals bigger lineup puzzle. Matt Quatraro said the team is being careful with Caglianones throwing arm, which means DH work is expected to be shared with Salvador Perez rather than opening up the kind of flexibility Kansas City would like to have. The bat is back, but the roster still has to figure out how to maximize it without asking too much of his health. [Read more 🡒]
Carter Jensen Is Giving The Royals Hope They Desperately Need
Carter Jensen keeps giving the Royals a reason to look past a frustrating season and think about what might be coming next. The rookie catcher added another jolt in the loss to the Red Sox, leaving his mark in a game Kansas City otherwise struggled to control and further cementing himself as one of the few bright spots in the lineup.
Jensens latest swing also placed him in striking distance of two major rookie benchmarks in franchise history, a sign of how quickly he has mattered to a club searching for more stability and impact. Even with Ranger Suarez taking the win for Boston and Randy Dobnak absorbing the loss for Kansas City, Jensens emergence is becoming the kind of development the Royals can build around, even if the bigger payoff is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]