4 other options the KC Royals should use before next Will Smith disaster

KC Royals fans don't need advanced metrics or decades of baseball experience to see what Kansas City's issue is so far in 2024. It is far and away the bullpen, with presumptive closer Will Smith leading the charge into oblivion. The Royals had several things clicking against the Baltimore Orioles but two walk-off losses really dampened the mood.

That might be an understatement.

Royals manager Matt Quatraro downplayed Smith's first crippling performance against the Minnesota Twins and I called that response tone-deaf. Now, with multiple blown games from Smith alone, Kansas City needs to find other closing options if they have any chance of improving in 2024. Kansas City has allowed eight hits and 10 earned runs in the ninth inning alone so far in 2024. Add in their 18 ERA and .533 opposing OBP in six ninth innings so far, the Royals need another option immediately.

Can the KC Royals move on from Will Smith?

I would love a player like Will Klein, John McMillon, or even Walter Pennington to push their way into a late-inning reliever conversation later this year, but that is down the road. If Quatraro wants to move away from Smith, here are Kansas City's best options and why each pitcher makes sense.

John Schreiber

I know you all are jumping up and down for Smith to move out of the late-inning work into really anything else. But would you take John Schreiber instead? I argue Royals fans need to notice the new righty in Kansas City's bullpen.

The Royals added Schreiber late in the offseason via trade from the Boston Red Sox. Schreiber is only one season removed from his eight-save 2022 campaign, which also saw him lead the Red Sox relievers with a 2.22 ERA, .98 WHIP, and held batters to a .195 batting average. I will take that from a reliever any day of the week and twice on Sunday. I might need it three times on a Sunday for Cole Ragans to finally get a win this year.

His 2024 season so far has been very straightforward: three games, and three innings of work. He had a very rocky start to the season, hitting two batters and loading the bases with one out. Thankfully, Schreiber escaped that jam with a double play. Since then, in his two appearances against Baltimore, Kansas City has a better chance of winning after Schreiber leaves the mound. He is a positive presence in the bullpen and isn't flashy, but gets the job done. Kansas City needs another option immediately, so why shouldn't Quatraro turn to the veteran?

Nick Anderson

Let's get this straight: Nick Anderson is not the traditional closing candidate this early in the season. The 33-year-old righty only has nine saves in 128 games, six coming in 19 2020 games. Smtih's struggles should force unconventional options into closing Royals games, but if Quatraro swears by a veteran, Anderson makes plenty of sense.

The Royals acquired Anderson via trade in November 2023 as a low-risk option to bolster the bullpen. Anderson has plenty of postseason experience with the Tampa Bay Rays, the same team he earned First Team All-MLB honors with in 2020. Injuries have impacted his availability since, with only 42⅔ innings since September 2021. Still, he has respectable numbers in that span, and Kansas City seems like a great place for him to get back on his figurative feet.

He has only thrown 22 pitches all year, so let's take all this with a grain of salt. Anderson is not inducing the swings and misses I expected, with a 22.2% whiff rate against opposing batters. Couple that with less movement on his curveball and fastball this season, Anderson is not going to explode like he did in 2020. That is why you trade your relievers when their value is highest.

So, considering this, his gaudy ERA and FIP, and low expectations, why would Quatraro move him into a closer role? The best reason I can think of is to protect the younger guys on the roster. Teams chase individual wins, but calculated organizations prioritize the long-term plan. Kansas City should look at their current roster and look to the long term as a team while building upon individual gains this season. It sucks as a Royals fan, but it is true.

All that to say: I would rather Anderson take some lumps closing games than Kansas City rush prospects like Steven Cruz or Will Klein into that role. Those two figure more into the Royals' outlook for 2025 and beyond than players like Anderson. Let him be a short-term quasi-solution and save younger players from the fire.

Angel Zerpa

Don't look now, but Angel Zerpa has already matched his fWAR from 2023 to 2024. That's right, through two games and 1⅔ innings, Zerpa is already worth…

Flips through notes…

Ignores small samples…

.1 fWAR. Huzzah!

In all actuality, Zerpa starting in the MLB bullpen this season is a blessing in disguise. He made his first career start back in 2021 but hasn't carved out a full-time role since. The Royals have added more starting pitching since that debut, and the farm system has starters waiting in the wings. If Zerpa wants to stick at the MLB level, tuning his stuff to that of a high-leverage reliever is the way to go.

Has he already begun that transition? I can see a trend here. Zerpa, whether it be one inning or multiple, did not start any of his seven September 2023 appearances. He posted a 2.29 ERA (5 ER in 19.2 IP), 19 strikeouts, and only two walks in those games. That is exactly what I wanted from Zerpa, albeit two years and a rotational spot too late.

Now, he is still performing well in the Kansas City bullpen. He already has one hold to his name, facing seven batters and striking out two or allowing hits to three. Zerpa's performance against the Minnesota Twins had my blood pressure high when he allowed two baserunners to start the eighth inning. But, between a popout and two strikeouts, Zerpa got out of the inning without much damage.

That damage part is what Kansas City needs to fix now. Closing games don't have to be pretty. It is all about who ends the ninth inning on top. Zerpa hasn't given up runs yet in 2024, showing an ability to ignore a possible disaster and still do his job. He is not the ideal late-inning reliever, but Zerpa can still mold himself and his pitching arsenal to fit that role better.

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