Latest Phillies contract would've stunned even the most pessimistic 2024 Royals fan

The past few days have been a busy stretch on the MLB free agent market for pitchers, with countless relievers finding new homes.

Of those relocating names is none other than former Royals Rule 5 sensation Brad Keller, who used his strong postseason run with the Cubs this year to secure a pretty substantial contract.

According to FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray on Wednesday, Keller has reportedly signed a multi-year contract with the Philadelphia Phillies which would later be revealed as a two-year, $22 million deal.

For the Royals faithful, it's hard to fathom where Keller is now based on where he was when he left Kansas City after the 2023 season.

Former Royals outcast Brad Keller receives major free agent payday with Phillies

Now, if you were to ask Royals fans if Keller would be receiving the payday of fairly coveted reliever after his rookie season, perhaps it wouldn't feel so far fetched.

Keller opened his MLB career with the Royals back in 2018 as an unknown Rule 5 quantity, appearing in both the starting rotation and the bullpen. In 140.1 innings spread across 41 appearances (20 of which were starts), Keller posted a 3.08 ERA.

Then, after a more modest 4.19 ERA as full-time starter in 2019, perhaps Royals fans would've again thought a payday would've been achievable for the righty after his COVID season in 2020 with a 2.47 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and .199 BAA across nine starts.

After that however, the downfall began for Keller in Royals uniform after back-to-back above-5.00 ERA seasons in both 2021 and 2022 and then a mid-4.00s ERA in 2023 before Kansas City let him walk in free agency.

But relief pitching is an extremely volatile position and after his poor three year stretch to end his Royals tenure, plus a 2024 season split between the White Sox and Red Sox in both the majors and the minors, Keller found himself completely rejuvenated with the Cubs in 2025.

In 69.2 innings in the regular season, he tossed to a 2.07 ERA, 2.93 FIP, 0.96 WHIP and .181 BAA. Then come the postseason, Keller took the closing mantle in Chicago's 'pen, converting a pair of saves between the Wild Card and NLDS rounds while throwing to a 1.59 ERA and 0.71 WHIP.

This made it easy to imagine Keller being a name in demand this offseason. However, while it may be a warranted contract for a versatile arm like him coming off the season he did, it's hard to wrap your brain around the fact that this is the same outcasted arm that left the Royals after 2023 and is now set to be a key $22 million signing for a contending Phillies bullpen.

Baseball truly is a wild game sometimes.