The Kansas City Royals officially announced the signing of new starting pitcher Michael Wacha on Monday.
As a result of his signing, the Royals needed a spot on the 40-man roster. Thus, they traded away intriguing reliever Jonathan Heasley to the Baltimore Orioles for a low-level minor leaguer.
Per Jeff Passan of ESPN:
The Baltimore Orioles are acquiring right-hander Jonathan Heasley in a trade with the Kansas City Royals for rookie-ball right-hander Cesar Espinal, sources tell ESPN.
Heasley appeared in games each year for the Royals from 2021-2023, including making 12 relief appearances this past season. He's actually a converted reliever, as he started 21 games for KC in 2022.
Lifetime, he's 5-11 with a 5.45 ERA. The 26-year-old Texas native was drafted by the Royals in the 13th round of the 2018 draft out of Oklahoma State.
With the Orioles, he'll likely get a chance to be a part of the bullpen under Brandon Hyde. Baltimore won 101 games last year and captured the American League East crown.
As for the Royals, they have turned over a lot of their roster this winter, signing Wacha, Seth Lugo and Chris Stratton to help the pitching staff.
Kansas City finished last in the American League Central and posted the second-worst record in the sport in 2023, only ahead of the dreadful Oakland Athletics.
However, with the mediocrity of the American League Central, the Royals clearly think they can take a step forward in the division. The Twins won the division a year ago but appear ready to curb spending and could come back to the pack.
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