Entering free agency for the sixth time, right-hander Michael Wacha pitched well enough to position himself for the most lucrative deal of his career. Instead, Wacha bypassed testing the market to stay with the Kansas City Royals, and he still made out pretty well.
Wacha agreed to a three-year, $51 million contract with the Royals, a major-league source confirmed Sunday. The pact includes bonuses and an option for the fourth year that would max out the deal at $72 million, the source said.
His $17 million guaranteed average annual value is higher than what Wacha earned a season ago, when helped lift the Royals back into the postseason for the first time in nearly a decade.
Source confirms: Wacha deal with Royals is three years, $51M. His $17M guaranteed average annual value is higher than what he earned in 2024. Deal can max out at $72M over four years with option and bonuses. First: @JeffPassan
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 3, 2024
In previous forays into free agency, Wacha settled for modest one-year deals for $3 million. But a career resurgence put him in line for a salary approaching $20 million per year.
|
Player
|
Signed
|
Ages
|
fWAR1
|
fWAR3
|
fWAR5
|
Years
|
Total
|
2024 AAV
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 J.A. Happ |
2019
|
36-37
|
3.0
|
8.7
|
13.1
|
2
|
34.0
|
20.9
|
|
Madison Bumgarner |
2020
|
30-34
|
3.3
|
6.4
|
15.6
|
5
|
85.0
|
20.7
|
|
Martin Perez |
2023
|
32
|
3.8
|
5.7
|
7.7
|
1
|
19.7
|
20.3
|
 Michael Wacha |
2025
|
33
|
3.3
|
7.5
|
8.9
|
|
|
|
 Eduardo Rodriguez |
2024
|
31-34
|
3
|
7.6
|
13.3
|
4
|
80
|
20
|
The Athletic’s Tim Britton projected that Wacha would land a three-year, $60 million contract, though that assumed the pitcher would test the open market rather than sign early and stay put. The Royals could have given Wacha a qualifying offer.
In retaining Wacha, the Royals managed to keep together the top three starters in a rotation that was one of the best in baseball in 2024. Wacha will once again slot behind Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo. The club also has Brady Singer, Alec Marsh, Kris Bubic and Kyle Wright as options. (Wright was acquired last offseason but spent all of 2024 recovering from shoulder surgery.)
With its top three set in stone, the club could also look to trade one of the homegrown starters at the back of its rotation as it explores ways to upgrade the lineup.
Required reading
- Is Yankees’ Aaron Judge facing kryptonite in Royals’ Michael Wacha in ALDS Game 1?
- Keith Law’s top 50 MLB free agents: Juan Soto headlines a decent overall class
(Photo: Mary DeCicco / MLB Photos via Getty Images)
