KC Royals rival building even scarier bullpen after signing former closer

Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Kansas City Royals have made some strong moves to bolster the roster this winter, from re-signing pitchers Michael Wacha and Michael Lorenzen to trading for second baseman Jonathan India. Most recently, the team signed closer Carlos Estévez on January 29, bolstering the relief corps before spring training.

Unfortunately for Kansas City, one of their AL Central division rivals has also been make moves to boost their bullpen this offseason. On January 22, the Cleveland Guardians signed free agent Paul Sewald to a one-year, $7 million contract with a $10 million mutual option for the 2026 season, adding the former closer to their already scary pitching staff.

Guardians' latest move adds to MLB-leading bullpen

In 2024, the Guardians won the AL Central with a 92-69 record, beating the Royals (86-76) by six wins. In fact, the Royals haven't beaten the Guardians in the regular season since their World Series-winning campaign in 2015, and while Kansas City's remarkable comeback season last year hopefully marks the beginning of new winning era, Cleveland is obviously a team they need to watch — especially their bullpen.

It's well known that the Guardians' bullpen is fierce. Last year, their relief corps led MLB in both ERA (2.57) and WHIP (0.96), while the Royals ranked 20th in ERA (4.13) and 23rd in WHIP (1.33). Cleveland's relievers were fourth in MLB with 650 strikeouts between them, while Kansas City's bullpen managed just 463 to rank dead last.

Now, the Guardians have signed Sewald, and while he wasn't the most obvious choice for their impressive bullpen, he's had bright moments that prove what he can do, and offers valuable depth.

Sewald had an up-and-down season with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2024, having started on the injured list with a left oblique strain, but coming in incredibly strong when he was activated on May 7. At the end of June, Sewald had an impressive 0.54 ERA across 16 appearances and was 11-for-11 in saves — but things took a turn for the worst in July.

His ERA ballooned to 4.23 after a string of blown saves, leading to him being removed as the team's closer at the start of August. The right-hander finished 2024 with a 4.31 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts in 39.2 innings of work, posting 1 hold, and 16 saves in 20 opportunities.

So, especially after a mediocre campaign in 2024, is Sewald joining the Guardians a big concern? Not really — but the idea of Cleveland building an even stronger bullpen than they already have, even it's just by adding depth, may have been the push Kansas City needed to act.

After staying quiet on any big plans to acquire a reliever this winter, the Royals finally made a move on January 29, signing closer Carlos Estévez to a two-year, $20 million deal with a $13 million club option for 2027 or $2 million buyout. In 55 innings of work split between the Los Angeles Angels and Philadelphia Phillies in 2024, Estévez posted an impressive 2.45 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 50 strikeouts, and 26 saves, marking a career-best campaign for the 32-year-old.

It's unclear whether the Royals plan to utilize Estévez as a closer or as a set-up man for Lucas Erceg, but regardless, his signing is a big move to bolster the relief corps for 2025. Of course, it will take a lot more than one signing for the Royals to match the Guardians' monster bullpen — especially since Cleveland is dedicated to ensuring they stay on top — but it's clear the Royals are taking their contention window seriously, and the AL Central should take note.

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