The former Boston Red Sox pitcher agreed to a three-year contract with the Royals on Sunday, the team announced. The deal includes a a club option for the 2028 season.
The terms of the contract have not been announced, but $51 million for the three years — $18 million in 2025 and 2026, $14 million in 2027. Should the option be exercised, Wacha could earn up to $72 million.
Wacha will enter his 13th Major League Baseball season in 2025, and his second with the Royals. In 2023 he went 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA across 166 ⅔ innings in 29 starts. Kansas City’s starting rotation ranked second in MLB with a 3.55 ERA last season.
Wacha spent his first seven seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and also spent time with the New York Mets, Tampa Bay Rays, Red Sox and San Diego Padres.
The 33-year-old signed with the Red Sox prior to the 2022 campaign. He amassed an 11-2 record with a 3.22 ERA. Wacha recorded a shutout win — the second his career — with Boston when he pitched a three-hit complete game against the Los Angeles angels in June 2022.
Wacha returns to a Royals rotation with Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo and Brady Singer.
