Kansas City Royals acquire veteran relief pitcher in trade with Milwaukee Brewers
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas City acquired right-handed reliever Easton McGee from the Milwaukee Brewers.
- McGee is on the 40-man roster and will head to Triple-A Omaha.
- Nick Mears was moved to the 60-day injured list, opening McGee's roster spot.
The Kansas City Royals acquired right-handed pitcher Easton McGee from the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday.
McGee, 28, has appeared in two MLB games this year and owns a 3.08 ERA across four major-league seasons.
The Royals sent cash considerations in return for McGee, who was designated for assignment last week. A veteran of four major-league clubs, he will be assigned to the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate in Omaha.
McGee will be part of the Royals’ 40-man roster, as fellow right-hander Nick Mears was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Mears has been sidelined since May 29 with right-shoulder impingement.
The Royals need fresh relief arms. McGee has a chance to earn a bullpen role in the second half of the season.
He has performed well in the minors. Opponents are hitting .239 against him since the start of the 2025 season. And he has posted a 9-2 record with a 4.53 ERA during that span.
The Royals have been active on the trade market this year. They also acquired right-hander Randy Dobnak from the Seattle Mariners in June and added veteran reliever Connor Seabold after he was designated for assignment by the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Royals’ bullpen has a 5.33 ERA, worst in baseball this season. Among starting rotation ERAs, only the Athletics’ and Colorado Rockies’ are worse.
Injuries have contributed to the rough numbers. In the bullpen, All-Star closer Carlos Estévez is currently sidelined. His absence has pushed multiple teammates into roles they’re unaccustomed to.
Alex Lange has assumed the closer’s role as the season has progressed. Daniel Lynch IV has become a high-leverage lefty reliever, while Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm are having down seasons.
The Royals’ roster could see more change in coming weeks. They are tied with the Los Angeles Angels with a record of 38-59 — worst in the majors.
This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 1:10 PM with the headline "Kansas City Royals acquire veteran relief pitcher in trade with Milwaukee Brewers."
