A well traveled arm could boost the Royals’ pen


Kansas City will likely be signing many pitchers to minor league deals this offseason. Spring Training this season will be fun to watch as many arms will be competing for a spot in a wide open bullpen. Matt Wisler in my opinion would fit the Royals’ bullpen perfectly, and he would be cheap. Wisler and the Kansas City coaching staff are familiar with each other. The veteran righthander was a member of the Rays’ bullpen in 2021 along with 2022, and he had good numbers. Wisler's time with Tampa Bay came to a surprising end after being designated for assignment in September of 2022. The 31-year old had good numbers while a member of the Rays bullpen staff. He posted an ERA of 2.25 with 35 punchouts in 44 innings pitched. Following the end of Wisler's tenure with the Ray, he signed minor league deals with the Tigers and the Blue Jays. Last season Wisler didn't see time in the big leagues while as a member of the Detroit and Toronto Triple-A affiliates. Wisler's time in Triple-A didn't go as well as he had hoped. While playing for Toledo, the righthander posted an ERA of 4.40 in 39 games. Wisler started two games for the Mud Hens last season, meaning he could make a spot start if needed. The 31-year old’s experience starting games means he could also pitch in multiple innings out of the bullpen if it's a bullpen type of game. According to Zachary D. Rymer's article titled, “MLB Free Agency 2023: Ranking Best Potential Steals Still on the Market,” Wisler ranked number 10 on the list. Rymer goes on to say this about Wisler, "If not for high-leverage work in the late innings, such a pitcher can surely still be of great use in a middle-relief role. A handful of would-be contenders can still use one of those." The statement "would-be contenders'' should be a good reason a team like the Royals should consider signing the veteran reliever. While as a member of the Rays, Wisler appeared in two games in the Division Series versus the Red Sox. The reliver's postseason numbers aren't great with an ERA of 7.71 in 2.1 innings. Although Wisler doesn't have good stats in the postseason, Kansas City should really consider giving the veteran a chance to compete for a spot in the bullpen, or at least bullpen depth next season. Even with Wisler's little sample size of postseason experience, the Royals’ front office should consider inviting him to spring training and see what he has to offer as a member of the big league bullpen or the Omaha pen. This offseason, Kansas City is looking to improve after a dreadful 2023 season, and the addition of Wisler could be a boost to the bullpen. Wisler, as I mentioned earlier in the article, posted an ERA of 2.25 in 44 innings while a member of the Tampa Bay bullpen in 2022. Wisler's stats in 2022 shows he can be a reliable arm out of the bullpen. Despite the reliever’s down year in Triple-A, he could have a bounce back season in 2024 hopefully showing glimpses of his 2022 season posting good stats in spring training and then carry that over to the big leagues regular season. And the team could get him for next to nothing by signing a minor league deal. JJ Picollo and the team's front office will likely add multiple arms like Wisler on minor league deals and let them battle it out in spring training for a bullpen spot. 

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