Sam Long, LHP
First off, if Royals fans haven't heard much from pitcher Sam Long or know much about the player, check out his Refreshing Conversation with broadcaster Jake Eisenberg from this past season. Eisenberg is a quality interviewer, and the pair chowing down on some ballpark food makes for a great off-season viewing.
Back to baseball.
Long was a relatively under-the-radar signing when the Royals picked him up as a minor-league free agent on December 10, 2023. Coming off a so-so season with the Oakland Athletics, he seemed like nothing more than camp depth. By the time the dust settled, though, Long was the only minor-league free agent the Royals signed who made their postseason roster.
Long was nails when he started the season in Triple-A Omaha. He made 16 appearances for the Storm Chasers, only allowing three earned runs in 20 2/3 innings of work. Long was a part of an impressive early-season relief trio, comprised of himself, Evan Sisk, and Walter Pennington. That performance earned him a promotion to Kansas City on May 20, and from there, he didn’t look back. Long made 43 appearances for the Royals, finishing with one save and 32 scoreless outings.
Had his season ended on August 30, he might have been the Royals’ clear-cut top lefty option out of the bullpen. Up until that point, he had a stellar 2.30 ERA with 33 strikeouts across 31 1/3 innings. But September proved to be a rough landing — he allowed seven runs in his final 11 1/3 innings, struggling at a time when the Royals needed late-game stability.
That inconsistency carried into the postseason. Long walked twice as many batters as he struck out, with his most costly moment coming in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Yankees. A walk to Alex Verdugo set up the game-tying run, a small but frustrating contribution to Kansas City’s early playoff exit.
Now, as he heads into spring training, Long is no longer a feel-good underdog story — he’s a major leaguer fighting to keep his role as the Royals’ top left-handed bullpen option. His primary competition is Angel Zerpa, while Daniel Lynch IV or Kris Bubic could also factor into bullpen decisions if they don’t land rotation spots. Additionally, his former Omaha teammate Sisk earned a 40-man roster spot this offseason, and the Royals could give the 2024 International League All-Star a long look in camp.
Long doesn’t need to pile up strikeouts or pitch every day to prove his worth — he just needs to show that he can replicate last summer’s success. If he looks sharp early, both in terms of stuff and conditioning, his spot should be secure. But if he struggles, the Royals have other lefty options ready to make their case. Arizona will be crucial in determining where Long stands in Kansas City's bullpen hierarchy for 2025.