Royals pitchers and catchers finally reported to camp in Surprise, a sign that Opening Day at Kauffman Stadium will be here before we know it (yay). On Tuesday, the Royals, via social media, not only revealed their team “motto” for the year (#FountainsUp) but also some key dates on the Spring Training schedule.
According to MLB.com’s Royals beat writer Anne Rogers, many pitchers have already gotten into their early-morning bullpen work. Furthermore, some position players have already reported, even though full team workouts don’t officially begin until February 17th (following Monday).
Pitchers and catchers reporting is always a special time for Royals and baseball fans alike. It signifies the beginning of the baseball season and inspires optimistic hopes for the season. After an 86-76 season, a Wild Card series victory against the Orioles, and an appearance in the ALDS to the pennant-winning Yankees, expectations are much higher for 2025 than they were at this time a year ago (especially coming off a 56-win season in 2023).
Of course, reality can set in quickly, especially in baseball. Rogers has already reported some early offseason stories that could affect the outlook of the Royals’ Opening Day roster. Let’s look at those reports and what that could mean for the Royals’ roster when Cactus League games begin.
McArthur and Marsh Have Reported Arm Issues
Early this morning, shortly after reporting her first post in camp, Rogers reported a couple of key news bits regarding reliever James McArthur and starter Alec Marsh. McArthur and Marsh will compete for spots on the Opening Day roster this spring.
Last season, in September, McArthur was put on the 15-Day IL due to a UCL sprain. The move to the IL essentially shut down his season, as he didn’t appear in the postseason. This morning, it seems that McArthur underwent elbow surgery to fix that issue, and his start date will be delayed this spring.
While Rogers didn’t say anything about McArthur’s long-term outlook for 2025, it seems unlikely he will be ready for Opening Day. It also seems doubtful that he will face much, if any, live competition in Cactus League play. Thus, it is likely that McArthur will start the season on the IL and could spend most of the first half of the season in Omaha when he does return.
This may not be bad for McArthur, who could use some time in Omaha to develop an offspeed pitch and tune up his slider a bit. His slider, which he introduced to his repertoire after coming over from the Phillies, saw a bit of a regression in pitch quality last season from his rookie campaign (albeit a small sample).
With the arrival of Estevez, as well as Carlos Hernandez and Chris Stratton back without Minor League options, the Royals can afford to take their time with McArthur. He still possesses intriguing stuff and upside but needs work with his repertoire and command to increase strikeouts and lower the hard hits allowed in 2025.
In addition to McArthur’s injury news, Rogers also reported, via manager Matt Quatraro, that Marsh experienced some shoulder tightness this offseason and may have a delayed start to Spring Training.
Marsh lost his spot in the rotation at the end of the season to Lorenzen (though he gained it back momentarily when Lorenzen went on the IL). However, that shouldn’t damper a solid 2024 that saw Marsh take some encouraging steps forward as a Major League pitcher.
After going 3-9 with a 5.69 ERA and -0.5 fWAR in 17 games and 74.1 IP in 2023, Marsh posted a 9-9 record with a 4.53 ERA and 1.4 fWAR in 26 appearances and 129 IP. He improved his K/BB ratio from 2.18 in 2023 to 3.15 in 2024, and he also lowered his HR/FB rate from 18.4% in 2023 to 12.4% in 2024. He still had issues giving up hard hits and barrels. Nonetheless, Marsh showed he could be a pitcher who could be depended upon in 2025 and beyond.
“Shoulder tightness” can mean many things, so it’s hard to conclude until we see more information. Carlos Hernandez experienced “shoulder tightness” last spring, but he still was able to contribute to the Royals pitching staff in 2024. The Royals will likely take it slow with Marsh this spring, which is easier to do with much more depth on the pitching staff, thanks to Lorenzen and Kris Bubic moving to the rotation.
Still, Royals fans should keep a close eye on Marsh. Extended missed time in Surprise could result in him starting the season on the IL and likely in Omaha. According to Roster Resource, Marsh still has a Minor League option.
What Could This Mean for Other Royals Pitchers This Spring?
McArthur was likely a long shot to make the Royals Opening Day roster, especially considering his struggles in the second half until he hit the IL. However, it also likely means that Hernandez, who doesn’t have a Minor League option, has a better shot to make the Opening Day bullpen. The Venezuelan reliever has been mentioned in trade talks this offseason, but until that happens, he likely will have a clear path to a roster spot this spring (unless he bombs, of course).
I’m more optimistic about Marsh’s spot with the Royals longer, but his road to a place on the Opening Day roster will also be challenging. Kyle Wright was expected to return to the mound in 2025 and seems to be back today, but it sounds like he’s been slow with his progress and recovery. He will likely begin in Omaha to acclimate back to pitching in 2025 after missing all of 2024 and most of 2023 with Atlanta.
Daniel Lynch IV and Jonathan Bowlan could also benefit from Marsh missing time this spring. Lynch has a bit more of a track record than Bowlan, and Lynch also thrived in his move to the bullpen in September. That said, it’s difficult to envision a role for Lynch in the bullpen, especially with Angel Zerpa and Sam Long projected to be the primary left-handed relievers this season. (Royals Data Dugout talked about this conundrum on Substack).
A Royals reliever this spring could benefit from an extended Marsh absence. Hopefully, what Marsh is experiencing isn’t serious. After all, it would be nice to see Marsh build on his growth in 2024 and become a solid spot starter or long reliever for the Royals long term.
Thankfully, the Royals have options to absorb this Marsh blow…for now.
Photo Credit: Ed Zurga/Getty Images
[…] Royals pitchers and catchers participated in their first throwing workouts in Surprise yesterday, an exciting sign that the MLB season is nearly upon us. The Royals will have their first team workout on Monday, February 17th, and participate in their first Cactus League game on February 21st against the Texas Rangers, their fellow Surprise complex partner. […]