9 Royals Who Won't Return in 2024
Kansas City should field a very different club next season in hopes of contention
By Joe Summers
5. Carlos Hernández - P
Hernández is another name the Royals were reportedly shopping ahead of the deadline, showcasing him in a closer role down the stretch in hopes of increasing his value before the offseason.
Things...didn't go too well. Hernández finished with a 5.27 ERA, technically an improvement from the 7.39 mark he posted in 2022, with six blown saves to only four converted saves.
Perhaps a team would be interested in the upside Hernández shows with his 99+ MPH fastball. He did strike out 77 batters in 70 innings pitched, so there's certainly a talented pitcher in there somewhere.
If the Jays end up looking at adding a reliever, Carlos Hernandez from the Royals is an under-the-radar target.
— Josh Goldberg (@JGoldberg12) July 28, 2023
Throws hard, misses bats, and has decent command.
Isn't arbitration eligible until after 2024 pic.twitter.com/bHqMVLSPKn
With a cost-controlled contract and over three years of big league experience despite being only 26 years old, Hernández may just need a change of scenery to reach the potential he's shown.
The Royals had the worst bullpen ERA in the American League last year (5.23) and must make drastic improvements to field a competitive club. Kansas City is out of time for Hernández to develop and it's time to move on.