"Monarchs retain RHP Michael Wacha with alleged $51M agreement"
Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Wacha has agreed to a new contract that will keep him with the team for the next three years. The deal is worth $51 million and could potentially reach $72 million, according to multiple media reports on Sunday.
The Royals have announced the new contract, which includes a club option for 2028, but have not disclosed the financial details.
Per the reports, Wacha, who is 33 years old, will earn $18 million in both 2025 and 2026, and $14 million in 2027. ESPN reports that the third year of the deal could include an additional $4 million in performance bonuses. The club option for 2028 is worth $14 million with a $1 million buyout, and also includes $4 million in incentives.
Wacha, who has been in the league for 12 years, was expected to opt out of the final year of his two-year, $32 million contract that he signed last winter, according to ESPN. However, he has chosen to stay with the Royals, who made it to the postseason but lost to the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series.
The Royals were able to negotiate with Wacha during the five-day quiet period after the World Series, when teams have the opportunity to re-sign their pending free agents.
In 2024, Wacha played for his sixth team in six seasons and had a successful year, finishing with a 13-8 record in 29 starts and a 3.35 ERA. His performance helped the Royals improve their win total by 30 games from the previous year. In 166 2/3 innings, Wacha recorded 145 strikeouts and 45 walks.
Wacha was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals as the 19th overall pick in 2012 and spent seven seasons with the team (2013-2019) before playing for the New York Mets (2020), Tampa Bay Rays (2021), Boston Red Sox (2022), San Diego Padres (2023), and now the Royals.
Throughout his 12-year career, Wacha has a record of 101-62 with a 3.89 ERA in 278 games (257 starts). He has recorded 1,290 strikeouts and 458 walks in 1,454 2/3 innings.
