2 projected arbitration salaries KC Royals shouldn't pay, 1 they must

KC shouldn't meet projections for Carlos Hernández and Hunter Harvey

To put it bluntly, the Royals can survive without Hernández and Harvey.

Hernández had a decent 2024 season, posting an acceptable 3.30 ERA in 30 innings spread across 27 appearances. But as he's been prone to do in five big league seasons, he walked too many batters (4.8 BB/9) and, save for the team's disastrous 2023 season when he pitched 67 times (and had a 5.27 ERA), just can't seem to stick with the big club. He's inconsistent and his major-league totals — 7-19 with a 4.95 ERA in 150 games — don't commend him for a new deal, especially at the $1.2 million MLBTR projection. They can afford it, but it's time for the Royals to move on from Hernández.

And Harvey? Kansas City gave up too much for him to start with. In July, general manager J.J. Picollo traded Cayden Wallace, then the club's second-best prospect per MLB Pipeline, and a Competitive Balance draft pick to the Washington Nationals to get him. Harvey didn't get a chance to help the Royals during their successful stretch run — he pitched only 5.2 innings (and gave up four runs) before a back injury sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Some might think it harsh to suggest the Royals let Harvey go. Yes, he had two good seasons with the Nationals, going 2-1 with a 2.52 ERA in 38 games in 2022, and 4-4 with a 2.82 ERA and 10 saves in 2023. But his 2-4, 4.20 record in 43 pre-trade games for the Nats this season foretold what might happen when he became a Royal.

The club shouldn't be willing to pay Harvey MLBTR's $3.9 million projection. It has other bullpen options, including up-and-coming Triple-A Omaha reliever Evan Sisk, one of the prospects who the Royals ought to put on their 2025 Opening Day roster.

So who should the Royals pay to keep?