As the Kansas City Royals start thinking ahead to next season, the pitching market is going to sit right at the center of the conversation. John Sherman made that much clear in a recent discussion with Josh Vernier of 96.5 The Fan, and he didn’t dance around the issue of what has gone wrong this year.
“I don’t know [when] everybody’s scheduled to return here, but we’ll be getting some guys back in the middle of the season, and that will be helpful,” Sherman told Vernier. “But I do think we’ll have to invest some money. If we want to win in ‘27, the rotation’s the key to it.”
That doesn’t mean Kansas City is about to go on a wild spending spree. But it does point to a front office that knows the rotation needs help, and it opens the door to some more realistic free-agent targets. Tarik Skubal is almost certainly out of reach, but there are other arms the Royals could chase without blowing up the payroll.
Kevin Gausman is one name that fits the bill. The right-hander may not be the overpowering force he was in the early 2020s, but he’s still a steady, reliable starter. He finished third in the Cy Young race in 2023 after striking out 237 batters in 185 innings with the Toronto Blue Jays, and even with some expected regression as he approaches his 36th birthday in January, he still brings what Kansas City needs most: competence and durability.
That matters because the Royals’ rotation has been hammered. As of August 11, Kansas City’s starters had allowed 317 earned runs in 120 games, which ranked third-worst in MLB.
Injuries have played a huge part in that mess, with Cole Ragans and Stephen Kolek combining to start just 18 games this season. Gausman has made a habit of taking the ball, starting at least 30 games in eight of the last 10 seasons.
The only exceptions came when the Cincinnati Reds moved him to the bullpen in 2019 and during the COVID-shortened 2020 season. With younger arms like Kendry Chourio and David Shields working their way up in the minors, Gausman could be the kind of bridge Kansas City needs.
Zac Gallen is another possible fit, and this one looks more like a bet on a bounce-back. The 31-year-old has been hit hard all season, posting a negative WAR with a 6.34 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP.
His year got even worse when he landed on the IL on July 19 with right elbow inflammation. The Diamondbacks expect him back in September, and those outings could matter for what comes next.
A long-term deal probably isn’t coming, which makes a “prove-it” contract for 2027 a real possibility.
For the Royals, that could be a smart swing. Gallen would come at a lower price, and a fresh start might help him reset. If he gets back to form, Kansas City would have a pitcher with plenty left in the tank on a deal that could turn into a real payoff.
Freddy Peralta also belongs in the mix, even after a rough 2026 season that likely took a bite out of his market value. He was viewed as a trade candidate after the 2025 season, then wound up with the New York Mets before being dealt again to the Tampa Bay Rays at the deadline.
The results have not been pretty. In 22 starts with the Mets, he struggled badly with traffic on the bases, and his 3.8 walks and 9.9 hits per nine are among the worst rates of his career.
His two starts with Tampa Bay have only added to the ugly line, with 10 runs allowed in 9.2 innings.
Still, there’s enough there for a team to believe in a rebound. Fangraphs noted that Peralta has lowered his arm angle to 33 degrees this season, five degrees down from last year, and that change may be affecting his stuff.
If he ends up looking for a “prove-it” deal, the Royals could be an appealing destination. And if he finds himself early in 2027, Kansas City could even end up with a useful trade chip down the line.
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Jac Caglianones Surge Just Created A Royals Question They Cant Ignore
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What makes the surge more interesting is that the production has not looked identical depending on where he lines up. The Royals have seen enough to start parsing whether his offensive approach changes when he is at first base versus right field, because the difference is showing up in the way he is attacking pitches and putting balls in play. With Pasquantinos return eventually looming, Kansas City now has a real decision to weigh about how to keep Caglianones best version in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]
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Gomez has stood out in the Dominican Summer League, where his early professional work has drawn attention well beyond his age. He is part of a broader group of Royals prospects that also includes Josh Hammond, Ramon Ramirez, David Shields, Zion Rose, Taylor Rabe and Jack Slightom, giving Kansas City a mix of upside across multiple levels and positions. For a club that has spent plenty of time selling the future, this is the kind of development that keeps the pipeline interesting, even if the order of the names is still very much in flux. [Read more 🡒]
Lucas Erceg Is Forcing A Royals Bullpen Question Nobody Wanted
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But the stretch since then has only sharpened the concern around where the bullpen really stands. Erceg's strikeout rate has slipped, his command has backed up, and his 2026 struggles have left the Royals searching for more reliable late-inning pitching than they expected to need from a reliever they control through 2029. [Read more 🡒]