Obscure July deal could pay off for the KC Royals

There is no shame in missing the free agent signing the KC Royals made a month ago. Many are the fans who, preoccupied with the first serious Kansas City playoff run since 2016 and the rapidly approaching trade deadline, didn't notice it. And even those who did probably paid the deal little mind.

No, Kansas City's July 18 acquisition of veteran pitcher Dinelson Lamet didn't make headlines. Like so many minor league deals, it slipped under the radar. Lamet, after all, pitched only briefly for the Dodgers this season before he refused the club's attempt to outright him to the minors and chose to take his chances on the midseason free agent market. The Royals picked him up and he's been working at Triple-A Omaha since.

Now, he could see Kansas City before the season ends. He's pitching that well.

Dinelson Lamet is opening eyes at Omaha

Proof that the Royals might consider bringing Lamet to KC yet this year lies not only in his recent signing, but also in his performance for the Storm Chasers. Take Friday night, for example — Lamet started against Louisville and gave manager Mike Jirschele six scoreless, one-hit innings, an effort that helped make the Chasers' 10-0 victory so easy.

And it kept Lamet's Omaha record basically unblemished— he hasn't been beaten in four starts since joining the club. After beginning his Omaha stint with a one-run, 1.2 inning, no-decision start against St. Paul, he shut out Rochester for five innings and a victory Aug. 3, gave up two runs over five frames in beating Iowa a week later, and defeated Louisville Friday. He's 3-0 with a 1.53 ERA and has 18 strikeouts in 17.2 innings.

What could Dinelson Lamet give the KC Royals down the stretch?

Options. Jirschele is using new his new hurler in Omaha's rotation but, as his major league experience proves, Lamet can start or relieve.

The right-hander debuted with San Diego in 2017 and, excepting 2018 when he had Tommy John Surgery, has pitched in the majors in every season since. He started exclusively for three years before beginning a transition to relief work in 2021, pitched out of the pen in 2022, then started and relieved last season. In parts of seven seasons and stops in San Diego, Colorado, Boston, and Los Angeles, Lamet is 14-20 with a 4.13 ERA in 60 starts, and 3-4, 6.85 in 61 relief appearances. He'd surrendered two runs (one unearned) in 4.1 innings when the Dodgers tried to send him down last month.

With his versatility, and considering questions concerning KC's rotation and bullpen, Lamet could give Royals manager Matt Quatraro some valuable flexibility as the season winds down, especially if Kansas City's pitching staff begins to show signs of fatigue, in which case the club may need a fresh arm or two if it hopes to stay in the playoff hunt.

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