The Kansas City Royals continued to trim their roster this spring. On Tuesday, the club optioned four players to Triple-A Omaha.
Royals starter Ryan Bergert will head to the minors. He is joined by right-handed pitcher Mason Black and outfielders Kameron Misner and John Rave.
Additionally, left-hander Helcris Oliváres was assigned to minor-league camp.
Bergert was in contention for the pitching rotation’s fifth-starter spot. He competed alongside Noah Cameron, Bailey Falter, Stephen Kolek, Luinder Avila and others for the role.
It’s likely that Cameron will earn the job. Cameron finished with a 2.99 ERA in 24 starts last season and was among the best American League rookies. Cameron is expected to join Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha and Kris Bubic in the starting rotation.
Bergert had a solid spring. He made four starts in Cactus League play and showed improvement despite a 6.52 ERA. Bergert recorded eight strikeouts and walked three batters in 9 and 2/3 innings.
Bergert will continue building up as a starter in Triple-A. He had a minor-league option remaining and his assignment has lingering implications.
Prior to Tuesday’s spring game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Royals altered their pitching order. Falter was slated to start, but instead the Royals planned to utilize him out of the bullpen.
There was a reason for the change. Falter is out of minor-league options and risks being designated for assignment if he doesn’t make the opening-day roster. This would allow other teams to potentially claim him.
The Royals are still evaluating their bullpen. It’s possible Falter could grab a relief spot as a hybrid pitcher. He made a handful of relief appearances in his career, and the Royals want to see if that is an avenue they can pursue.
The door is also not closed on Bergert. The Royals will likely need him as injuries occur during the season. The club needed multiple starters in 2025 as Ragans, Bubic and Lugo all dealt with significant injuries.
The Royals’ big-league camp roster stands at 50 players. The club must get down to their 26-man active roster by opening day March 27.
Misner and Rave are depth outfielders for the Royals. Currently, the Royals are set with their outfield mix. The group includes Jac Caglianone, Isaac Collins, Kyle Isbel, Lane Thomas and Starling Marte.
Black was acquired from the San Francisco Giants this offseason. He didn’t allow a run in six spring appearances. He held opponents to a .172 batting average in eight innings pitched.
The Royals view Black as a reliever. There is a chance he could be stretched out in Triple-A Omaha and fill in as needed — if called upon in 2026.
The Royals will conclude Cactus League play on Sunday.
The club will then play two exhibition games against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Opening day is set for March 27 against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Jaylon Thompson covers the Royals for The Kansas City Star. He previously covered the 2021 World Series and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jaylon is a proud alumnus of the University of Georgia.