Royals take high-upside gamble on ex-All-Star hurler (but this can't be their free agent strategy)

The Kansas City Royals have made it clear in recent weeks that pitching has been and will be a priority to bolster. Injuries and underperformance have forced them to get incredibly creative just to try and salvage some semblance of normalcy to get through the current stretch run. And their starting staff looks just as thin going into 2027 for the same reasons. Kansas City needs to find additional arms to slot in alongside the returning Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo and Noah Cameron.

As they've done with their bullpen after signing the likes of Nate Pearson, perhaps the Royals are getting a jumpstart on their offseason work in the starting staff too. On Thursday, the team announced that they'd signed former Dodgers All-Star Tony Gonsolin to a major league contract for the rest of 2026 with a club option for 2027. He was immediately then placed on the 15-day IL.

Now, signing a former All-Star certainly has it's charm, but much like their offseason signing of John Means last winter, it comes with a major injury red flag. Gonsolin has made just seven starts since 2023, thanks to Tommy John surgery at the end of 2023 and then shoulder surgery in 2025. At his All-Star peak though in 2022, he posted a 2.14 ERA, with a 0.87 WHIP and .172 BAA, which was preceded by a series of low-3.00s and sub-3.00 marks the three seasons prior.

The fact that 2027 isn't guaranteed makes this deal a nearly no-risk gamble and an absolute no-brainer. However, the Royals shouldn't get too comfortable with moves like this. They need to be able to field a full rotation next season and Gonsolin has proven to be no better at staying healthy than the Royals' current crop of ailing starters.

And with Wacha and Lugo a year further into their mid-to-late 30s, Cameron still spotty in his consistency this season and other gamble arms like Randy Dobnak certainly not a guarantee to repeat their immense success from 2026 again next season, the Royals need to supplement their gambles with more surefire starting options on the free agent or trade market.

Tony Gonsolin's arrival may've also ended Eli Morgan's time with Royals

Obviously when one name comes onto the 40-man roster, one needs to find it's way off of it. In this case, the Royals designated Eli Morgan for assignment, potentially putting an end to his Royals tenure altogether.

While it had it's momentary highs, more so early-on in the season, Morgan's time within the Royals bullpen left a lot to be desired. In 19.1 innings of big league work, the righty threw to a 5.12 ERA, 6.46 FIP, 1.71 WHIP and .300 BAA. They certainly could use depth arms in the organization, but Morgan was proving to be an expendable name if a situation like this arose.

Morgan was certainly worth keeping around up until this point and wasn't a waste of time by any means as a minor-league signing this past winter. However, after acquiring the likes of Pearson, Carlos Duran and Nolan Hoffman at the trade deadline, as well as Luke Little and Connor Thomas afterwards, Kansas City could afford to shift their focus to the starting staff.

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