9 Royals Who Won't Return in 2024
By Joe Summers
6. Taylor Clarke, RP
Whew, do I ever wish the Royals traded Clarke away when he posted a 0.71 ERA in 12 appearances in May.
He looked like one of the most dominant relievers in the majors at the time, striking out 14 batters while holding opponents to a .200 batting average. Unfortunately, the wheels fell off rather quickly.
Clarke had a 9.00 ERA in June, a 10.45 ERA in July before suffering an injury and returning in September to record an 8.68 ERA. He's 30 years old and not under contract next season, so I see little point in giving him a roster spot instead of a younger arm with potential.
Similar to the argument for moving on from Hernández, Kansas City needs bullpen help and fast. Clarke had his opportunities to show he belonged, but things didn't work out the way he or the organization hoped.