The Kansas City Royals already had a nice bullpen mix last season, and outside of lefty Angel Zerpa, that group has remained largely intact.
Not only did Kansas City replace Zerpa with Matt Strahm, who projects to be an upgrade, but they could have even more firepower than fans realize. That hinges on the health of righty James McArthur, who has become the forgotten man in Kansas City even though he was the closer not long ago.
After missing the entire 2025 season due to unforeseen circumstances — an elbow surgery, followed by an allergic reaction to the metal from the screws used to repair the stress fracture — McArthur says he’s healthy and ready to contribute.
If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.
James McArthur can be Royals’ secret weapon
Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Kansas City Royals relief pitcher James McArthur (66) pitches against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
“The main goal for me is to just get back on track to becoming the best pitcher I can be,” McArthur told Jaylon Thompson of the Kansas City Star. “And I think that’s got to be my main focus going forward. I’ve got to get back to the pitcher I was before all this stuff.”
The Royals, per Thompson, will be careful about building McArthur back up too quickly. He’s not facing live hitters initially, but hopes to be able to do so early on in spring training.
In 2024, McArthur posted a 4.92 ERA in 56 2/3 innings, lost the closer role after picking up 18 saves, and only struck out 49 batters. But the fact that the Royals ever saw him as a potential closer seems to indicate that he’d be almost overqualified to take over a boilerplate middle relief role.
Since McArthur was last a regular member of the pen, the Royals have added closer Carlos Estévez, setup man Lucas Erceg, and Strahm. The 29-year-old knows he doesn’t have a spot locked up, but there’s also a freedom in knowing there are qualified high-leverage guys around him.
If McArthur can channel his strong walk and ground ball rates into a productive season in the middle of the Royals’ bullpen, this team might be impossible to eke out close wins against.
More MLB: Royals Snubbed Again by MLB Network’s Befuddling Player Rankings