3 relief options that could be perfect Hunter Harvey replacements for Royals

The Kansas City Royals are in a better position than many fans might expect heading into this offseason. The team is coming off another winning season and is in a significantly stronger position as a franchise than it was two calendar years ago. While there is still plenty of work to be done during the winter months, the Royals should be a regular feature in this year’s hot stove season.

The reason Kansas City is in a favorable position is that they are not facing the daunting task of replacing a host of star-level players. Outfielder Mike Yastrzemski and utilityman Adam Frazier, who rank as the team’s top two free agents by fWAR, weren’t even on the roster for most of the 2025 season. While both played key roles in the team’s positive momentum during August and September, neither are franchise cornerstones or All-Stars the Royals are obligated to replace.

Among the team’s pending free agents, the third-most valuable by fWAR is relief pitcher Hunter Harvey, who spent the majority of the season sidelined. Harvey’s tenure with the Royals has largely fallen short of expectations, due in large part to injuries that kept him out shortly after the 2024 trade deadline and for most of the 2025 campaign. Nevertheless, Kansas City had envisioned Harvey as a critical part of its bullpen hierarchy in 2025 and they now lack that certainty heading into 2026.

Here’s the key point: what did Kansas City actually get from Harvey in 2025? When healthy, he was elite, delivering 10.2 innings with an unsustainable 0.00 ERA. But his availability was limited, and the team was forced to rely on other options due to recurring injuries.

Replacing Harvey, then, essentially means finding a right-handed reliever capable of producing around 0.5 fWAR, and that is a replaceable figure.

If Kansas City decides to pursue re-signing Harvey this offseason, they will likely have the inside track, and his recent injury history should keep him in the middle tier of free-agent relievers. But what if they choose not to retain him, deciding the injury concerns are too significant to warrant further investment?

In that case, what right-handed relief options could Kansas City pursue, and why should they explore them?

Sign RHP Raisel Iglesias

For what this exercise is worth, Kansas City doesn’t need to add a reliever ready to step into a closing or setup role from day one.

The tandem of Lucas Erceg and Carlos Estévez will likely enter Opening Day as the club’s late-inning favorites, with Steven Cruz, John Schreiber, and Jonathan Bowlan also in the right-handed setup mix.

Still, if fans examine the free-agent market, they’ll notice a number of former closers available. Kenley Jansen, Emilio Pagán, and Devin Williams all bring extensive save histories, but it’s former Atlanta Braves closer Raisel Iglesias who feels like the most attainable option for Kansas City.

Iglesias is coming off a career-high 70 appearances in 2025, during which he posted a 3.21 ERA and 3.31 FIP for Atlanta. While his velocity has declined, he’s adjusted effectively by mixing his four-seamer and sinker more efficiently. His slider remains among the league’s best, with a 124 Stuff+ rating, according to FanGraphs.

Heading into his age-36 season, Iglesias doesn’t project as a reliever with a late-career renaissance, but he still has two to three years of meaningful contribution left. The Royals could benefit from a pitcher with extensive closing experience and veteran savvy, qualities Iglesias brings in spades.

Iglesias has tallied 253 career saves, including 29 in 2025. He has been remarkably consistent throughout his MLB career. However, will he command a multi-year deal this offseason? That remains uncertain, especially with younger relievers of similar skill profiles also on the market. Iglesias could easily slip through the cracks.

Estévez wasn’t Kansas City’s top offseason priority last winter and Iglesias shouldn’t be, either. Adding an outfielder or a left-handed reliever should remain higher priorities.

Still, if the opportunity arises, signing Iglesias would be a savvy move. He would add both reliability and ceiling to the bullpen as the Royals look to rebound into playoff contention in 2026.

Trade with Philadelphia Phillies for RHP Seth Johnson

Bullpens often provide an opportunity for strategic experimentation, and that was certainly the case for Phillies prospect Seth Johnson in 2025.

The right-hander had difficulty cracking Philadelphia’s stacked major league rotation, in part due to an inconsistent third pitch. The Phillies shifted him to the bullpen, and while the 27-year-old wasn’t dominant at Triple-A or in the majors, there’s untapped potential in the Campbell University product’s arm.

Johnson’s biggest developmental hurdle has been solidifying that elusive third pitch, an essential component for remaining viable as a starter.

“As a starter, my usages were kind of on par with most relievers -- a lot of fastball, slider," Johnson said earlier this year. "After Tommy John [surgery in Aug. 2022], I kind of struggled to get that third pitch locked in. That’s what separates starters and relievers is having that third pitch. I just haven’t been able to consistently find that third pitch.”

While many relievers thrive with a two-pitch mix, having a reliable third option is still valuable. Royals pitcher Steven Cruz took a notable leap after adding a slider to his four-seam/cutter combo, scrapping a sinker in the process. He and other young Royals pitchers have undergone significant arsenal overhauls since the team restructured its pitching development staff in 2023.

With Johnson’s arm angle and sharp slider, perhaps a cutter could serve as a better bridge pitch or perhaps ditching a subpar splitter in favor of a more effective changeup is the path forward. Both routes align with changes Kansas City's pitching staff has implemented before.

If fans are skeptical about making major changes to Johnson’s pitch mix, consider this: Johnson was one of the few MLB relievers in 2025 to post a sub-3.00 in xFIP (2.86), xERA (2.23), and SIERA (2.66), all metrics that focus on what pitchers can control and that are highly predictive.

The caveat, of course, is that these results came across only 12.2 innings. But in a potential Hunter Harvey replacement role, that volume is comparable.

To be clear, Johnson is not a finished product nor someone Kansas City should thrust into a high-leverage role immediately. However, there’s value in finding cost-controlled relief options, and Johnson fits that bill.

The Royals’ Triple-A pipeline currently lacks arms poised to step into major league roles or replace Harvey’s void. Johnson could help bridge that gap. As the Phillies chase a title, Kansas City could offer a larger workload and a fresh start to the former Tampa Bay Rays draftee.

Take Josh White or Matt Pushard in the Rule 5 Draft

What was that about experimenting?

The Royals’ last foray into the MLB Rule 5 Draft saw them attempt to convert Double-A starter Matt Sauer into a major league reliever with poor results. After just 16.1 MLB innings, Kansas City returned him to the New York Yankees. Sauer also struggled in the minors, posting a 6.12 ERA and 5.00 FIP across 32.1 innings in his first full season as a reliever. While he had flashes of effectiveness with the Dodgers later in the year, he remains a below-replacement-level arm.

Some argue that contending teams can’t afford to take flyers on Rule 5 players. However, four playoff teams had a Rule 5 selection on their active roster in 2025, demonstrating the process can produce real value. Like every other club, Kansas City faces tough choices this winter regarding whom to protect and the Miami Marlins have two intriguing arms worth watching.

Josh White stands out as the preferred target after a dominant Triple-A season. He led all Rule 5-eligible pitchers in xwOBA (.236), chase rate (38.2%), whiff rate (40.5%), and strikeout rate (37.3%). The 25-year-old, a California native, has been consistently productive for three years but 2025 marked his breakout year. Miami would be wise to protect him, but there's always a chance they don’t.

Matt Pushard wasn’t quite as dominant, but his 35.7% whiff rate and .283 xwOBA still place him near the top of the Rule 5 pool. At 28 years old, the Maine native lacks White’s upside, but he’s also been highly productive over multiple seasons. His 3.61 ERA undersells his effectiveness, and his pitch mix, highlighted by a solid four-seamer, offers upside. Whether through refining his changeup or increasing sweeper usage, the Royals’ staff could mold Pushard into a valuable bullpen piece.

Miami is not currently contending and has embraced a youth movement, so they may opt to add both relievers to their 40-man roster. But if either becomes available, Kansas City could and should consider taking a chance.

Both White and Pushard have the statistical foundation and pitch profiles to contribute at the major league level and if Miami isn’t ready to commit, the Royals could seize the opportunity.