This 2023 signing by the Kansas City Royals is the gift that keeps on giving in KC
Kansas City Royals general manager J.J. Picollo entered the 2022 Winter Meetings with a forward-thinking agenda.
The Royals offered a place for veteran players to rebuild their value. The club signed starting pitchers Jordan Lyles and Ryan Yarbrough later in free agency. Picollo also signed outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. to a minor-league contract.
However, there was one move that defined the 2023 season — and all that has followed. Picollo signed reliever Aroldis Chapman to a one-year deal.
The hard-throwing reliever was a former All-Star and World Series champion. He had recorded more than 300 career saves and could touch 100 mph consistently on the radar gun.
The Royals, who had just hired Matt Quatraro as manager, were headed toward a rebuild, and Chapman represented a chance to accelerate that process.
“It was in the Winter Meetings of 2022 that our scouts were recommending that we sign Aroldis (Chapman),” Picollo said at this year’s recent Winter Meetings in Dallas, Texas. “He was coming off a tough year in New York and we were looking for guys that maybe could rebound and have value at the trade deadline.”
Chapman posted a 2.45 ERA in 31 appearances with the Royals. He recorded 53 strikeouts in 29 1/3 innings and showed improvement with his command. The Royals deployed Chapman in a setup role to further build his value.
Potential suitors lined up for his services. The Royals found a trade partner in the Texas Rangers, who acquired him in exchange for left-handed pitcher Cole Ragans and minor-league outfielder Roni Cabrera.
Chapman went on to win a World Series with the Rangers. Ragans, meanwhile, became the Royals’ ace and an All-Star for the first time.
The Chapman signing and eventual trade has defined Picollo’s tenure to date. It accelerated the Royals’ rebuild and paved the way for their return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2015 season.
In turn, Picollo gave the Royals a new identity centered on starting pitching.
“That one worked out, obviously, very nicely for us and very nicely for Texas,” Picollo said. “They won the World Series and we were able to get Cole Ragans and move forward. There was the thought that when we signed Aroldis, we were the right type of team for him to rebound. And then, if he was doing what he was capable of doing, we would be able to turn him into something.
“Never in our wildest imagination did we think it was an All-Star, Cy Young-type of pitcher that Cole has turned into. We are certainly excited about that.”
The Royals have continued to find value in veteran players. Ragans is now in the fold for the foreseeable future. KC also struck gold in free agency by signing starting pitchers Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha to club-friendly deals.
The ascensions of Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino have provided consistent offense alongside team captain Salvador Perez, and Picollo brought in relievers Lucas Erceg and John Schreiber to shore up the bullpen.
A lot has been made of the Royals’ significant turnaround in 2024. The club went from 106 losses to an American League Divisional Series appearance.
Picollo has crafted the KC roster with purpose ... and it all started with the acquisition of Chapman, who gave the Royals a major trade chip. His was the rare free-agent signing that worked out for both player and team.
It’s a gift that continues to fuel the Royals today.
This story was originally published December 24, 2024 at 1:23 PM with the headline "This 2023 signing by the Kansas City Royals is the gift that keeps on giving in KC."
