Taylor Clarke Heads Back to Arizona, Ending Another Royals Chapter - For Now
The Kansas City Royals have never been shy about second chances. For a club often described as conservative in its roster construction, they’ve shown a surprising willingness to circle back to familiar faces.
Just ask Greg Holland or Wade Davis, both of whom made their way back to the Royals after previous stints. Even players like Bubba Starling and Logan Porter, who were non-tendered only to return days later, have experienced the Royals’ open-door policy.
But this time, that door is closing - at least for now.
On Thursday, the Arizona Diamondbacks signed reliever Taylor Clarke, officially ending his most recent run with Kansas City. Clarke, who was non-tendered by the Royals in November, now returns to the organization that originally drafted him in the third round back in 2015.
For Arizona, it’s a reunion. For Kansas City, it’s a parting - and one that might raise a few eyebrows.
Let’s rewind. Clarke’s history with the Royals has been anything but linear.
After debuting with the D-backs in 2019 and posting a 9-8 record with a 4.99 ERA over three seasons, he joined Kansas City via free agency following the 2021 campaign. His first stint in a Royals uniform didn’t exactly light up the stat sheet: across two seasons and 105 appearances, Clarke posted a 5.08 ERA and allowed nearly 38% of inherited runners to score - a number that tends to keep managers up at night.
So when Kansas City traded him to Milwaukee in the winter of 2023, it seemed like the end of the road. But in classic Royals fashion, the door didn’t stay closed for long. After injuries derailed his 2024 campaign - he didn’t pitch in the majors that year - the Royals brought Clarke back for 2025, hoping for a rebound.
And for a brief moment, it looked like they might get one.
Clarke’s May was sharp - a 0.75 ERA and a save across nine appearances - but the wheels came off in June. Over the next month and a half, he was tagged for 13 runs in just 13.2 innings, ballooning his ERA to 8.56 during that stretch. It was a rough patch that could’ve easily ended his season.
But then something clicked.
Post-All-Star Break, Clarke was a different pitcher. He locked in with a 1.82 ERA and a 0.809 WHIP during the second half, helping stabilize a bullpen that was trying to keep Kansas City in the playoff hunt. The Royals ultimately fell short of a second straight postseason appearance, but Clarke’s late-season surge - finishing the year with a 3.25 ERA and a 0.849 WHIP - looked like enough to earn him a spot on the 2026 roster.
Apparently, the Royals saw it differently.
Non-tendering Clarke in November was a surprising move, especially considering the way he closed the season. But in a sport where roster space and payroll flexibility are constant considerations, even a strong finish doesn’t always guarantee job security. Now, Clarke heads back to Arizona, where his professional journey began.
For Clarke, it’s a chance to start fresh in a familiar setting. For the Royals, it’s another chapter closed - but if their history tells us anything, it might not be the final one.
Because in Kansas City, a goodbye doesn’t always mean forever.