Which Royals player is most at risk of losing his spot on the 40-man roster?

Looking to defend an 86-win campaign that took them all the way to the postseason in 2024, the Kansas City Royals have been fairly active in upgrading an already promising roster this winter. So far, the club has swapped Brady Singer for Jonathan India, re-signed Michael Wacha and Michael Lorenzen, and added Carlos Estevez as their new closer.

All that combines to form a pretty solid offseason from the Royals. The Estevez signing in particular is sure to be one that pays off for the club. The 32-year-old made the All-Star Game in 2023 before turning in an even better performance last year. In 54 games split between two teams, the right-hander posted a 2.45 ERA with 26 saves across 55 innings. Not too shabby.

With his signing yet to become official, the Royals' 40-man roster is technically sitting at 41 right now. We don't know who is going to be the unlucky soul to lose his hold on a roster spot, but there are a few candidates that stick out above the rest.

Which Royals player will lose his 40-man spot to Carlos Estevez?

In a wild only-in-baseball twist of fate, it's entirely possible that the Royals swap one closer for another on the 40-man. James McArthur, a 6-foot-7 hurler who showed potential in an 18-game showing in 2023, fell flat on his face this past season, and he may lose his spot on the roster because of it.

Getting a look as the Royals' primary closer for a stretch last year was McArthur's undoing, which doesn't bode well for his future on the team. He had "high-leverage option" written all over him after sporting a 2.78 FIP across 23.1 innings the year prior, but the wheels fell off last year.

In a total of 57 games, the right-hander did earn 18 saves, but he finished the year with a 4.92 ERA, 4.17 FIP and 86 ERA+ that puts his overall production 14 percent below league-average. The Royals are entering their latest contention window, and it just doesn't feel like a player who can't handle the big moment belongs on their roster at this time.

If anything, the club could expose him to waivers and hope he makes it through unclaimed. At that point, he can just be stashed in Triple-A without holding down a spot on the 40-man roster.

The Royals have a chance to build a strong bullpen and take another stab at the magic they found 10 years ago when they won it all. Rostering a player like McArthur just doesn't feel necessary, especially when he's already been replaced by Estevez in the back-end of the 'pen.