Royals place injury-plagued World Series champ on waivers after two seasons without an appearance

Contributing Writer
Royals place injury-plagued World Series champ on waivers after two seasons without an appearance image

The Kansas City Royals are coming off a season in which they fell short of the playoffs—never the ending a team wants. With the offseason now underway following the conclusion of the World Series, the Royals have already made a notable move by re-signing Salvador Perez.

“The Royals have signed catcher Salvador Perez to a two-year contract that runs through the 2027 season, the club announced Tuesday night,” MLB.com’s Anne Rogers wrote. “The club did not announce terms, but a source told MLB.com that the two-year deal is worth $25 million guaranteed. There’s a $7 million signing bonus and some deferred money that won’t hit the books for a few years.”

Perez wasn’t the only player the Royals moved on Tuesday. Kansas City also placed former World Series champion Kyle Wright on waivers.

“Kyle Wright placed on outright waivers by Royals. Former 5th overall pick won 21 games and Cy Young votes in 2022. Lengthy rehab process after capsule surgery, recovered from oblique strain. Bounceback candidate in 2026,” MLB insider Jon Heyman wrote.

The Royals were excited when they acquired Wright, but he was coming off surgery. Unfortunately, the injury that sidelined Wright prevented him from ever appearing in a Royals uniform. After not making a single appearance for the team, the Royals decided it was time to see if another team would claim him.

“Kyle Wright came to the Royals in a trade with the Atlanta Braves two offseasons ago, coming off shoulder surgery that cost him most of the 2023 season. The Royals knew he would be rehabbing for most of last year, but hoped he would be able to impact their rotation for 2025,” SI’s Jackson Roberts wrote. “Wright, 30, was one of the stars in the Braves' rotation in 2022, and he got a World Series ring in 2021 as well. Other than that, his career has been constantly interrupted by injuries.”

Wright now faces the uncertainty of whether another team will give him a chance. There is immense potential in him, but two years without an appearance could make teams hesitant.

However, Wright’s proven success during the Braves’ World Series championship run still carries weight. And speaking of the Braves, a reunion is certainly not out of the question.

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Contributing Writer