3 worst contracts currently on the KC Royals roster

Please put the knives away, no way is it being suggested the money being spent on his contract is bad for the team.

While the KC Royals did give Jorge Soler a nice pay raise in the offseason to $7 million dollars, it only is for the 2020 season.  He is an Arb 1 player for this year and will be a full-blown free agent in 2022.

He has been known to have injury issues and this was the first year Soler showed the promise that fans hoped for.  He endeared himself to the Royal faithful by smashing the single-season home run record and played in all 162 games.

If the team does not lock him up for a few years now, chances are they will be outbid when he becomes a free agent in 2022.  It is a gamble as to whether he can bash consistently and staying off the injured list for extended periods of time.  It is a risk worth taking though.

If he hits another 35 bombs or more his arbitration salary will jump up again in 2021 and drive up his value for his free agency year.  Getting him locked in for a few more seasons is necessary.

Many people dream of earning a paycheck while sitting at home.  The KC Royals made it possible for one player.

To his credit, Wily Peralta is not resting on his laurels and is in camp with the Milwaukee Brewers. If it does not work though, he still has guaranteed money coming from the Royals.

The signing of Peralta was a bit of a head-scratcher going into the 2018 season.  His best season had been two years earlier when he started 32 games for the Milwaukee Brewers and went 17-11.  It was the only time in a four-year span he had an ERA+ above 100.

In 2017 Peralta had an extremely tough season putting up a 7.85 ERA in 19 totals games, including eight starts.  The Royals signed him for 2018 and converted him into a full-time relief role. It did return some positive results.  He saved 14 games, struck out a batter per inning, and had his best WHIP since 2014.

There were some warning signs with a WHIP of 1.485 and a WAR, while positive, was only 0.4.  He had trouble with control was present with 23 walks recorded in only 34 1/3 innings pitched.

In 2019, the wheels came completely off as Peralta’s ERA climbed over 2.00 points and he only struck out five more batters than he issued bases on balls to.  He yielded a home run roughly every five innings pitched and that tied the worst HR/9 ration in his career.  Ultimately, Kansas City parted ways with Peralta in July.

The result is that the team will be paying Peralta one million dollars to not be with the Royals this year.  It is not an absurd number, less than double minimum wage in baseball.  It is an example of taking the chance on a player who hurt more than helped though.

The remarkable performance from starter to closer was fun to watch but it is also difficult to swallow the price paid for it.

No doubting the Ian Kennedy took the literal ball and ran with it in 2019.  After struggling for two years as a starter on the KC Royals, the move to the bullpen reeked of desperation.  Instead, it saw Kennedy make history by joining the limited 20-win, 30-save club.

Entering the last year of his four-year contract, it is anticipated the Royals will look to move him to a contender and receive a marginal prospect in return. Not because Kennedy would be a bad addition to a club if he continues to shine as a closer but because at age 35 and no years remaining on his contract a trading partner is not likely to part with a top young player.

The Royals deserve grace on this deal because when they signed him, the team was coming off a World Series victory and looking to solidify the starting rotation.  He did his part in 2016 with a 3.68 ERA, 1.221 WHIP and was durable making 33 starts.  At $7.5 million for that season, you could almost call that a bargain.  Paying $16.5 million for a closer on a team that will find it tough to win 70 games is not a priority which is why his contract is a hindrance now.

As mentioned at the top of the piece, two of these situations could be amended.  Soler could be given a longer deal during the year and Kennedy could be traded.  There is no getting out of the money that will line Peralta’s pockets though.