The Kansas City Royals have finalized a three-year contract with starting pitcher Michael Wacha, valued at $51 million, as reported by Jeff Passan of Moneyline. The agreement includes a club option for the 2028 season, bringing the total potential value of the deal to $72 million.

Wacha, who recently rejoined Kansas City after initially agreeing to a two-year contract last winter, will benefit from increased financial security with this new deal. By signing him for an additional year, the Royals have managed to keep the right-hander on their roster for two more seasons than if he had exercised his player option for $16 million. As Wacha transitions between teams, there is speculation regarding whether he will end up playing for his seventh team in as many seasons.

At 33 years old, Wacha does carry some risk concerning his durability, having not started 30 games in a season since 2017. Nevertheless, his performance has been notably consistent over the past three years, maintaining a 3.30 ERA and a 3.87 FIP while averaging 7.8 strikeouts and 2.5 walks per nine innings, according to statistics from Baseball Reference. His changeup was particularly effective in 2024, with opposing hitters achieving a mere .312 slugging percentage and a 34.1 percent whiff rate against it, as per Baseball Savant. For the Royals, who have historically faced challenges in their pitching staff, Wacha's signing, alongside that of Seth Lugo, marked a strategic shift that contributed to a significant turnaround this season, culminating in a 30-win improvement and a wild-card berth. With Wacha's extension before entering free agency, the overall morale surrounding the organization appears to have received a considerable boost.