Michael Wacha’s name is still hanging around the trade market, even after the Royals kept him through the deadline and watched him deliver one of the best seasons of his career.
Kansas City had every reason to listen last summer. Wacha was viewed as one of the biggest chips on the roster, but the Royals decided against moving him, seeing him as both a rotation centerpiece and a steady presence in the clubhouse.
That call only looks better now. The veteran right-hander wrapped up the year with a 3.32 ERA, matched his career high with 158 strikeouts, and logged a personal best 200 2/3 innings in a strong 2026 campaign.
With Kansas City battling pitching injuries all season, holding onto him proved even more important.
Still, the conversation hasn’t gone away. With the offseason underway, Wacha could draw even more interest than he did before the deadline. In a recent Bleacher Report piece projecting the most likely trade for each of MLB’s 30 teams, Kerry Miller pointed to Washington as a fit for a veteran starter and named Wacha as a prime target for the Nationals.
That makes sense on paper. Wacha checks the box for what Washington wants, and the possibility of him being shopped more aggressively this winter is very real. But the Royals would be wise to stay patient and keep the same stance they held in July: set the price and do not budge just to make a deal.
Kansas City’s rotation picture is still unsettled heading toward 2027, and that uncertainty only raises Wacha’s value. The Royals have plenty to sort out this offseason, but moving a proven arm like him would strip away one of the few sure things they have. After what he did in 2026, Wacha looks more important to Kansas City now than he did when the season began.
In Other News...
Royals Face One Costly Arbitration Call In Bigger 2027 Roster Picture
The Royals are already getting an early look at a few pieces that could matter in the next wave of roster construction, and the conversation starts with players in very different stages of their careers. Left-hander Justin Lamkin is still working through mixed results in the Arizona Fall League, a reminder that his long-term path remains more projection than certainty, while the front office is also weighing more immediate decisions on the major league side as it sorts through the depth it may want to carry into 2027.
One of the bigger calls involves second baseman Michael Massey, whose arbitration outlook forces the club to balance cost, role, and upside rather than simply look at the name on the lineup card. The Royals are also kicking around possible pitching fits for the future, including veteran reliever Steven Okert and a reunion with right-hander Luke Weaver, two options that speak to how much the bullpen picture could change by the time that next roster cycle arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Could Lose A Rising Front Office Piece To Houston
The Astros search for a new general manager has pulled in another name with ties to Kansas City, with Royals senior vice president Scott Sharp reportedly among the candidates under consideration. Sharps inclusion is notable for a front office that has been on the rise, and it speaks to how much demand there is for executives who have worked their way into meaningful responsibility around the game.
Houston is casting a fairly wide net, with Braves assistant general manager Ben Sestanovich also in the mix along with Matt Kleine, Josh Barfield and Randy Flores. At the same time, the Astros are moving ahead with another key hire, bringing in Spencer Medick as director of pitching to oversee pitching development, a sign the organization is trying to bolster multiple layers of its baseball operations structure at once. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Still Have One Big Jac Caglianone Decision Ahead
Jac Caglianone gave the Royals plenty to build on in 2026, and he did it while wearing multiple hats. He led the club in several offensive categories and spent time both in right field and at first base as injuries forced Kansas City to shuffle the lineup and patch holes wherever it could.
The bigger question now is where he fits best going into 2027. Caglianone dealt with shoulder and elbow issues during the season, and his time in right field was affected as a result, leaving the Royals to weigh whether a return to first base makes more sense depending on how the roster settles this winter. The bat clearly belongs in the middle of the conversation, but the defensive side of his future is still very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]