KC Royals: Some lefty starters are just down the road

Welcome back to Kings of Kauffman’s continuing series analyzing how the free agent market could impact the KC Royals. Over the next few weeks, our writers will scrutinize each club’s free agents and project who might, or might not, fit Kansas City’s needs. Today, we focus on some of St. Louis’ free agent pitchers.

Southpaw Danny Duffy, working the final season of his contract and pitching better than he had in years, was the best KC Royals starter when the second of his two 2021 left flexor strains sidelined him in July. But eager to bolster their pitching for the stretch run, the Dodgers wanted him anyway and Duffy, perhaps finding the notion of playing in his native California and the probability of postseason play too much to resist, didn’t invoke his right as a “10 & 5” player to reject the LA-KC trade that sent him West.

Unfortunately, Duffy didn’t heal or pitch again, and his departure left a hole in the Royals’ rotation. He could return to Kansas City as a free agent, but his flexor strains render his future uncertain and leave unanswered the question of whether he’ll pitch in 2022. Or ever again.

KC has other lefthanded starters, of course, but none free from uncertainties of their own. Kris Bubic and Mike Minor had frustratingly inconsistent seasons; Daniel Lynch and Angel Zerpa need more experience and have much to learn. So the club could use an established lefty starter.

It just so happens four such hurlers, now free agents, spent 2021 just down Interstate 70 in St. Louis. Could any of them help the Royals?

Another 2 St. Louis lefties might warrant consideration from the KC Royals.

Don’t be misled by Kwang Hyun Kim’s short major league career. His two seasons with the Cardinals notwithstanding, he’s still a professional baseball veteran.

Kim, 33, pitched12 years for the Korean Baseball Organization’s SK Wyverns before joining St. Louis in 2020. His 136-77 KBO record established his pitching bona fides; his 3-0, 1.62 ERA in eight 2020 games with the Cards confirmed them.

Kim wasn’t as effective this season, though—hindered by three trips to the Injured List, he went 7-7 with a 3.46 ERA in the second, and final, year of his first major league deal.

Whether Kim re-signs with the Cardinals, lands with another club, or returns to the KBO remains to be seen.

Then there’s Wade LeBlanc, a lefty capable of starting or relieving who started the 2021 campaign with Baltimore. He quickly earned his release by giving up seven runs in 6.2 innings, then pitched in the Milwaukee and Texas organizations without being called up to the majors.

He signed with St. Louis in mid-June and pitched well for the Cards (0-1 with a 3.61 ERA across eight starts and four relief appearances) before an elbow issue ended his season in September.

A 13-year big league veteran with an eclectic four-seam fastball, sinker, cutter, curve, and changeup repertoire, LeBlanc, 37, is 34-42, 4.66 as a starter and 12-7, 4.23 as a reliever.

Should the KC Royals pursue any of these lefthanded pitchers this winter?

Relievers Luis Garcia and Andrew Miller, and corner infielder-DH Matt Carpenter are also St. Louis free agents. But because Kansas City’s 2021 rotation was a shaky mix of inconsistency and inexperience, adding a capable veteran lefthanded leader and mentor might make a difference.

Lester is the best bet in the St. Louis free agent pitching bunch, a still-decent starter Kansas City should at least consider, but only for a season. If the Royals wants a proven winner to help set the tone for their budding young pitchers, he might be their man.

The KC Royals could find a new pitcher just down the road.