Royals are being pushed to poach $65 million All-Star from Padres in free agency

At some point, the Kansas City Royals bullpen was bound to collapse, and it happened for all to see in the American League Division Series.

Twice in the first three games, the Royals allowed the Yankees to lead off in the seventh inning or later. Both competed against converted starting players – the first against Michael Lorenzen and the other against Kris Bubic.

If the Royals want to establish themselves as a true World Series threat in 2025, they will need to seriously upgrade the bullpen. Trading Lucas Erceg at the deadline this year was a start, but now they need more powerful weapons to deploy.

The top name on the Royals’ roster is probably Tanner Scott of the San Diego Padres, and that’s true for many teams this winter. FanSided’s Zach Pressnell recently wrote that the Royals need to prioritize Scott this winter to solidify their chance at a World Series title.

“In a dream world, the Royals would sign three quality backup players this offseason,” Pressnell said. “The crown jewel would be Tanner Scott, the outstanding closer who spent half the season with the Marlins before being traded to the Padres at the deadline for a king’s ransom.”

Scott, 30, may be the most sought-after reliever to hit the open market this winter. He had a 1.75 ERA, 22 saves and an incredible 4.0 wins above replacement in 2024. And going back to the start of 2023, he has a 2.04 ERA and 188 strikeouts in his last 150 innings pitched.

Signing Scott could be the move that will elevate the Royals’ bullpen and make them the early favorite in the AL Central next season. But it would also be expensive, as Scott is currently expected to receive a $65 million contract from Spotrac.

It’s still too early to tell whether Kansas City will be willing or able to make such a big deal for a relief pitcher. But if they do, it will be a clear signal that they intend to dominate the Central region in the coming years.

More MLB: The Royals could land an All-Star and former batting champion in a blockbuster trade with the Rays