3 very early free agent pitching options Royals should explore after John Sherman’s comments

As we reach the part of the season where we look ahead to next year, the Kansas City Royals will have plenty of options to improve the team. That includes deciding which free agent pitchers make the most sense to go after. To address the elephant in the room, it is extremely unlikely that the team will sign Tarik Skubal in the off-season. But that shouldn’t come as a complete surprise to anyone. What may be surprising is how aggressive Royals’ owner John Sherman wants to be when bolstering the team’s rotation next year.    

Sherman had a lengthy conversation with Josh Vernier of 96.5 The Fan regarding the Royals’ outlook heading into next season. Like most owners talking about their struggling clubs, there was certainly a heaping helping of catchy buzzwords aimed at appeasing the fanbase. However, that doesn’t mean that Sherman was completely off-base. In fact, he pointed to a specific problem that has plagued the Royals this season: injuries to the rotation.     

“I don’t know [when] everybody’s scheduled to return here, but we’ll be getting some guys back in the middle of the season, and that will be helpful,” Sherman told Vernier. “But I do think we’ll have to invest some money. If we want to win in ‘27, the rotation’s the key to it.” 

Does that mean that the Royals will outspend every other team in the off-season? Probably not. But there is plenty of pitching talent that the team will be able to go after without breaking the bank. Of course, some of these pitchers will come with injury concerns of their own. Others will look to bounce back after a tough 2026 season. Regardless, the Royals’ front office will have their work cut out for them. 

Royals could boldly pursue second-best veteran arm in free agency in Kevin Gausman 

Kevin Gausman will likely never be able to replicate his dominant run in the early 2020s. The RHP finished third in the Cy Young race in 2023 after racking up 237 strikeouts in just 185 innings pitched with the Toronto Blue Jays. Since then, he’s still been a very effective pitcher, albeit slightly less dominant. And with his 36th birthday coming up in January, Gausman will likely continue to see some regression. However, the Royals don’t need dominance. They just need competence and durability. 

As of August 11, the Royals’ starting rotation has surrendered 317 earned runs in 120 games, good for the third-worst in the all of MLB. A lot of that could be contributed to the injuries that have haunted the pitching staff. Cole Ragans and Stephen Kolek have started just 18 combined games this season, leaving the team scrambling to look for pitchers to eat innings. And eating innings is something that Gausman just so happens to excel at. 

Gausman has started at least 30 games in eight of the last 10 seasons. The two exceptions? The Cincinnati Reds moved Gausman to the bullpen when they acquired him in 2019 and during the COVID-shortened season in 2020. Signing Gausman may just add yet another aging RPH to the Royals’ staff, but his durability is exactly what they’re looking for. And with young pitching talent like Kendry Chourio and David Shields developing in the minors, Gausman would act as the perfect stopgap. 

A Zac Gallen reclamation project is one that could potentially pay off for Royals    

A number of former All-Star pitchers have struggled mightily throughout the 2026 season. Perhaps none as badly as Zac Gallen. The 31-year-old is boasting a negative WAR season while pitching to the tune of a 6.34 ERA and a mind-boggling 1.56 WHIP. After enduring the worst season of his career, the righty was placed on the IL on July 19 with right elbow inflammation.  

Luckily for Gallen, his injury isn’t thought to be severe enough to warrant a season-ending surgery. The Arizona Diamondbacks expect their former ace to return to the mound at some point in September. For Gallen, a few outings next month could act as an audition for the upcoming free agency period. It’s unlikely that he’ll receive any substantial long-term offers after the season, so he may be forced to sign a “prove-it” deal for the 2027 season. 

Landing in Kansas City could be an ideal situation for both the Royals and Gallen. Not only would the team secure a pitcher with a lot left in the tank, but a change of scenery could be exactly what Gallen needs. With a young and exciting core on the offensive side, adding Gallen on an affordable deal could pay off tenfold if he is able to return to form. 

Could former All-Star Freddy Peralta round out the Royals’ rotation?  

Much like Gallen, a horrific 2026 campaign has likely cost Freddy Peralta millions of dollars on the free agent market. Following the 2025 season, Peralta was rumored to be a trade target for a number of playoff-caliber teams. But after all was said and done, he was dealt to the New York Mets in what seemed like a match made in heaven. But after struggling through one of his worst seasons in the big leagues, Peralta was then traded to the Tampa Bay Rays at the trade deadline.   

In 22 starts with the Mets, Peralta failed to keep runners off the basepaths. His 3.8 walks and 9.9 hits per nine and each rank as some of the worst rates in his career. In his two starts with the Rays, things have only gotten worse for the 30-year-old. He’s already been shelled for 10 runs in just 9.2 innings. But despite how bleak things may look, it is far from the end of the road for Peralta. If Peralta wishes to sign a “prove-it” deal for 2027, the Royals would make for an excellent landing spot.  

A look under the hood shows a poor season from the RHP, but it is nothing that can’t be fixed. As Fangraphs noted, Peralta has lowered his arm angle throughout the season to 33 degrees, a full five degrees lower than last season. As a result, his stuff may be suffering. Like Gallen, a change of scenery and a trip to the AL Central could be exactly what Peralta needs. For the Royals, an excellent first half of the 2027 season from the righty could offer them a valuable trade chip to continue to improve the minor league system.    

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