KC Royals News: 100 days to Opening Day, new pitcher deals for 2025, Bobby Witt Jr.'s bonus

The Winter Meetings are now finished and the holidays are fast approaching, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty going on for the Kansas City Royals.

From new pitcher contracts to big bonus awards, here is a Royals news roundup for December 17.

KC Royals News: 100 days until Opening Day

Opening Day of the 2025 season is officially just 100 days away, with the Royals set to face the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday, March 27 at 3:10 p.m. CT. This will be the ninth season in 11 years that the Royals have opened the season at home.

After the first game on March 27, the Royals will have a day off on Friday, March 28, before continuing the series against the Guardians on Saturday, March 29 at 3:10 p.m. CT and Sunday, March 30 at 1:10 p.m.

The 2025 season will maintain with the balanced schedule for the third consecutive year, meaning the Royals will play every other team in MLB for at least one series — 13 games against each of the four teams in their division (Guardians, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, and Minnesota Twins), six or seven games against each of the other 10 teams in the American League, four games against one "geographic rival" from the National League, and three games against each of the other 14 teams in the NL.

KC Royals News: Royals avoid arbitration with Kyle Wright

On December 17, the Royals announced they have signed pitcher Kyle Wright to a contract for the 2025 season, avoiding arbitration. The team is yet to confirm whether they intend to utilize Wright in the starting rotation or have him pitch out of the bullpen next year.

Kansas City acquired Wright in a trade with the Atlanta Braves on November 17, 2023, but with the right-hander having undergone surgery to repair his right shoulder capsule just one month earlier, the Royals knew it would be at least a season before he'd throw a pitch for them. The 29-year-old was activated off the IL on November 1.

Wright made just nine appearances for the Braves in 2023, but before his shoulder injury, he'd firmly established himself as a player to watch. In 2022 — his first full season in the majors — the right-hander went 21-5 with a 3.19 ERA, leading MLB in wins and playing a crucial role in Atlanta's sixth consecutive win over the NL East Division.

In the same post that announced Wright's new contract, the Royals also confirmed that they had signed pitchers Noah Cameron (No. 12 prospect in Kansas City's system) and Evan Sisk to 2025 contracts.

KC Royals News: Bobby Witt Jr. tops MLB's pre-arbitration bonus pool

Just one season after signing the richest deal in Royals' history, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has added another almost $3.1 million to his earning this year. The 24-year-old received the largest payout from this season's pre-arbitration bonus pool, with Kansas City pitcher Cole Ragans receiving $1,638,013 — the fifth-highest payout — and catcher Freddy Fermin earning $232,819.

The $50 million pre-arbitration bonus pool was established in the most recent MLB collective bargaining agreement. Each team commits an annual amount of around $1.67 million, and the total pool is divided amongst pre-arbitration players each year based on their performance during the season. Pre-arbitration players receive $2.5 million for winning a MVP or Cy Young Award, $1.75 million for finishing second in the voting, $1.5 million for finishing third, and $1 million for finishing fourth or fifth. They receive $750K for winning Rookie of the Year, $500K for finishing second in ROTY voting, $1 million for being selected to the All-MLB First Team, and $500K for the All-MLB Second Team. After award bonuses are allocated, the remaining balance from the pool's $50 million is awarded based on WAR.

Witt's $3,077,595 payout included $1.75 million for his second-place finish in AL MVP voting, and while he also would've been eligible for other allocated bonuses after being selected to both the All-Star team and All-MLB First Team, players are not able to double-up on award bonuses.