Former Cardinals pitcher tabbed as potential KC Royals bullpen target

The clock is ticking for MLB teams as the start of spring training rapidly approaches. Pitchers and catchers are set to report soon, with Kansas City Royals personnel expected in camp by February 12. While Opening Day 2025 will still be more than two months away, most teams aim to finalize their rosters well before the calendar flips to February. Even top players from last offseason, such as pitchers Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, attributed their slow starts in 2024 to signing late in the winter. For the Royals, time is of the essence — and fortunately, plenty of options remain.

In a recent piece for USA Today, Gabe Lacques identified a key need for each MLB team, along with a potential player to fill that void. While Royals fans might immediately point to the outfield or third base as areas of concern, Lacques highlighted Kansas City’s bullpen as a spot that could use some reinforcement.

"They also boast a fantastic closer in Lucas Erceg, acquired from the Athletics last year, and a nasty left-hander in Angel Zerpa," Lacques said. "But the Royals should contend again. The AL Central should be tightly packed. Their seventh- and eighth-inning situations could use an upgrade."

Could KC Royals land an underrated arm to shore up the bullpen?

To address this need, Lacques suggested former St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays reliever Andrew Kittredge as a sensible target. While Kittredge isn’t a marquee name in this year’s free agent class, his 2024 performance certainly could have bolstered the Royals’ late-inning relief corps. His recent performance, solid track record, and likely affordable contract make him an intriguing fit for Kansas City.

Kittredge posted a 2.80 ERA with a 1.132 WHIP across 74 games for the Cardinals last season. That was his best season since his All-Star campaign with the Rays back in 2021, where he had a crazy 1.88 ERA across 57 games. At 34 years old, Kittredge is a slider-sinker pitcher, peppering in a four-seam offering when needed. He does a lot of things well, but ranking in the 100th percentile for chase rate last year really fueled his stellar performance.

The veteran may not have the raw velocity pitchers are chasing now, but his stuff plays well and always has. His 116 Stuff+ would have been one of the best from any Kansas City pitcher, while the 133 Stuff+ on his slider quantifies how great that pitch has been for him across his eight-year career.

With the AL Central shaping up to be a tightly contested division, the Royals would be wise to shore up their bullpen before spring training begins. Adding a proven veteran like Kittredge could provide the depth and stability needed to navigate the grind of a competitive season and give Kansas City an edge in those crucial late-inning matchups.