4 KC Royals veterans desperately seeking redemption in spring training

Taylor Clarke, RHP

Royals fans could have blinked and missed Taylor Clarke’s return to the organization. Kansas City traded him to Milwaukee last offseason for two minor-league players, but he never threw a pitch for the Brewers. Now, much like Biggio, Clarke is trying to fight his way back to the majors in 2025.

Back in 2022, Clarke had a career year with the Royals — fueled by an uptick in strikeout rate and a sharp decline in walks — leading to a strong 3.30 FIP across 47 appearances. While not perfect, he was one of the season’s unexpected bright spots. But his success unraveled in 2023, when his ERA ballooned to a career-worst 5.95. He struggled to miss bats and was hampered by uncharacteristically bad luck.

His 2024 campaign never got off the ground. A torn meniscus sidelined him early, and while he wasn’t dominant in Triple-A for Milwaukee, his past success likely would have earned him another MLB opportunity. Now, that’s behind him, and his focus is on proving himself once again in Kansas City.

Clarke isn’t in an Opening Day-or-bust situation ahead of his age-32 season, but he does need to show how his arsenal has evolved after his 2023 struggles. Will he continue leaning on a slider-sweeper approach out of the bullpen, or can his fastball regain effectiveness? Pitching coaches Brian Sweeney and Zach Bove have a project on their hands, but if Clarke can rediscover his 2022 form, he could be a sneaky investment for the Royals’ bullpen.