FanSided

KC Royals: 2 players out of minor league options ahead of 2023 season

By Jacob Milham |
Kansas City Royals v Boston Red Sox
Kansas City Royals v Boston Red Sox / Omar Rawlings/GettyImages
1 of 3
Next

The KC Royals are entering the 2023 season with a fresh outlook and a fresh set of expectations. Most of the players' faces, young and old, are still familiar ones to Royals fans. But the biggest changes came in that team's leadership, with six new major league coaches and several changes in the front office. No one expects an immediate championship contender, but there is some hope once again in Kansas City.

With all the new faces and new rules in baseball, fans can be assured that the constant wheel of baseball transactions will return in 2023. Royals fans certainly have fun with players' minor league options after the Royals' leadership utilized that route a lot last season. Edward Olivares' consistent trips back and forth to Omaha, Nebraska The Monday minor-league options became a part of the team's drumbeat last year. As Kansas City wants to get a look at several young players this season, the Royals could very well repeat that in 2023.

The KC Royals are closing in on Opening Day 2023, and every contractual detail counts in roster building.

They will luckily have that latitude, as most of the Royals' major-league roster has one or more minor-league options entering this season. Some players, like Olivares and pitcher Taylor Clarke, have one option remaining with Kansas City. If the Royals want to move a player to the minors from their 26-man roster, that can be a dangerous move. Out-of-options players must be designated for assignment, removing them from the 40-man roster. That also exposes them to waivers and gives the other teams a chance at adding that player to their 40-man roster. Using up a player's minor league options is a dangerous move, and should not be taken lightly.

There are two players on the Royals roster who are both out of minor-league options and could contribute in the majors this season. Who are these players, and why should Royals fans care about their minor-league options?

Pitcher Carlos Hernández

Pitcher Carlos Hernández's performance in 2022 is likely one of the most disappointing, especially after a promising season in 2021. He was a 1.0 WAR player in 2021, pitching 85 2/3 innings with a 6-2 record. The 3.68 ERA looked promising too, as Hernández performed well as a starter and out of the bullpen. Then he just had a dud of a 2022 season. The stats trended in all the wrong directions, and he struggled to find a consistent role with the Royals. Opposing batters figured out his four-seam fastball, which was previously his best pitch. Hernández's slider was also much less effective due to less movement.

A side effect of Hernández's poor performance was his bouncing back and forth between Kansas City and Omaha at points. The Royals would use him for a stretch, then send him back to Omaha. It is not like he was making the decision hard at all. The puzzle now is: What do the Royals do with him during the 2023 season? Hernández is likely out of the rotation, but he can certainly be useful out of the bullpen. He surrendered fewer runs, struck out more batters, and was more valuable to the Royals out of the bullpen. The Royals need to be careful with not only his usage but also when they decide to bring him to the major league roster.

Hernández might not make the Opening Day roster, and that's not a bad thing. His best role might be as a reliever in Omaha, and the Royals will bring him up later. There are other members of the bullpen who could be easily DFA'd if their performances aren't meeting standards, and then Hernández takes their spot. When that move is made, the onus will undoubtedly be on him to deliver because his job is literally on the line.

Pitcher Richard Lovelady

Unlike Hernández, pitcher Richard Lovelady is a relative unknown entering 2023. He has not thrown a big league inning since 2021, when he posted a 3.48 ERA over 20 2/3 innings. Lovelady needed the dreaded Tommy John surgery in September of 2021, and Kansas City non-tendered the pitcher. The team re-signed him to a minor-league deal in 2022, and Lovelady looked ready for the big leagues once again.

Lovelady pitched in four games against AA and AAA in 2022, not surrendering a run and striking out nine total batters. Each appearance was just for one inning, but that is all the Royals would need from the 27-year-old in the majors. He continued the scoreless streak with a shutout inning against the Texas Rangers on Saturday, further proving he belongs in the 2023 bullpen.

Lovelady is trending in the right direction, but he is still no guarantee in the bullpen. Moreover, unlike Hernández, Lovelady will most likely begin the season with the Royals rather than being promoted later. If he has already proven he can slice through AAA competition, why would the Royals reinjure with Lovelady working minor-league innings? If the UCL looks good and Lovelady is proving himself on the mound, then there is no reason for the Royals to keep him off the Opening Day roster. But that puts the pressure on Lovelady in his major league return.

Next. Can KC avoid these 3 disasters?. dark

Next
Home / KC Royals News

Schedule