New Royals relief pitcher could play key dual role in club's 2026 bullpen

Barring a catastrophic Cactus League performance, new Kansas City Royals reliever Nick Mears will be on the roster when the club opens its 2026 season with a late-March night game in Atlanta.

The recent trade that netted the Royals Mears and outfielder Isaac Collins was designed to boost the big league roster, not minor league depth. And while Collins is destined for a regular or semi-regular role in KC's offensively-challenged outfield, how Mears will fit into the bullpen remains to be seen.

Mears' precise role will likely be determined only after manager Matt Quatraro and pitching coach Brian Sweeney scrutinize him during spring training. But his highest and best use could be as a dual-purpose pitcher — he's spent the bulk of his career in middle and short relief, and with some success.

And that's the two-pronged role he could be playing when the Royals embark on the 2026 journey they hope will lead to postseason play.

New Royals hurler Nick Mears seems suited for a double bullpen duty

Mears won't arrive in Kansas City free of concerns and questions about a big league career that spans parts of six seasons with stops in Pittsburgh, Colorado, and Milwaukee. Never a starter, he's tended to give up too many runs for a reliever — ERAs of 5.01 in 2021with the Pirates and 5.93 in a 2024 campaign split between Colorado and Milwaukee mar his record, and he's suffered from on-and-off control problems.

But some positives help explain why the Royals want him. His strikeout rate is just a tick under 10 per every nine innings. He fanned 29.3% of the batters he faced two seasons ago and almost 21% of them in 2025. His93% chase rate is excellent. And although previous control difficulties account for his career 10.2 BB%, he reduced his walk rate to 5.9% in 2025, a more than satisfactory 2.01 BB/9 that suggests he's on the right track.

Where to best exploit his skills appears to be in the middle and late innings. Which spot is better for him, and the Royals, is debatable, but the club has reasons to avoid choosing one over the other. He can do both.

Take the late innings first. Mears performed reasonably well in the final third of games during 2025, posting a 3.33 ERA and striking out 19 in 27 innings. But he also walked 40% of the batters he faced. And his career ERA in frames 7-9 is an unenviable 5.11.

He's better, though, in the middle innings, where in 28.2 innings this year he struck out 27 and walked only two. His 3.45 ERA slightly exceeded his late-frame mark, but on balance he pitched better in middle relief. And his 3.88 career ERA in that role is far better than his unsightly 5.11 late-inning ERA.

As a right-hander, Mears' addition didn't help the Royals reduce their shortage of left-handed relievers like the deal for Matt Strahm did on Friday. But if his recent and career numbers are any indication, he could help the club in a fairly unique dual role.

The departure of Angel Zerpa to Milwaukee as part of the same deal that brought Mears and Collins to KC means Quatraro must identify another reliever capable of moving back and forth between the mid and late innings, just as Zerpa did during his career. Mears may be just the hurler he needs.