Royals come to terms with four players, avoid arbitration
No need for an arbiter this year.
The Royals agreed to terms with pitchers Nick Anderson, Carlos Hernández, Brady Singer, and Kyle Wright, avoiding arbitration with all their remaining eligible players. The Royals settled with reliever Nick Anderson for $1.575 million, according to Bob Nightengale. Hernández will get $1.0125 million, Singer will get $4.85 million, and Wright will get $1.8 million, according to reporter Mark Feinsand.
Anderson was purchased from the Braves last November and was in his second year of arbitration. Last year he had a 3.06 ERA in 35 1⁄3 innings with 36 strikeouts in Atlanta, and he has a career 2.93 ERA in 128 relief outings. MLB Trade Rumors projected him to earn $1.6 million.
Wright was also acquired from the Braves last November for pitcher Jackson Kowar and this is his first year of arbitration. The 28-year-old is expected to miss the entire season after undergoing shoulder surgery last year. In 2022, he led the National League with 21 wins, posting a 3.19 ERA in 30 starts, but was limited to just 31 innings last year. He was projected to earn $1.6 million.
Hernández was also in his first year of arbitration, after spending parts of the last four seasons with the Royals, posting a career 5.17 ERA. Last year he posted a 3.60 ERA over his first 48 relief outings, but ended the season terribly, allowing 19 runs over his last 15 innings to finish with an ERA at 5.27. MLB Trade Rumors projected to make $1.3 million.
Brady Singer had a disappointing season with a 5.52 ERA in 29 starts, missing the final two weeks with back pain. But he flashed major potential in 2022 with a 3.23 ERA in 153 1⁄3 innings. The Royals went to arbitration with Singer last year, with the Royals winning the case with a salary offer of $2.9 million instead of the $3.325 million salary Singer’s was seeking. This year, MLB Trade Rumors projected him to make $5.1 million.
Earlier this off-season, the Royals agreed to terms with pitchers Kris Bubic for $2.35 million and Josh Taylor for $1.1 million.