Former Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel will add some more starting pitching depth to the Kansas City Royals organization.
The Royals have signed Dallas Keuchel to a minor league deal according to Jeff Passan. Keuchel’s Cy Young season is now a decade ago, though Royals fans remember 2015 for a very different reason.
Former Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel and the Kansas City Royals are in agreement on a minor league contract, sources tell ESPN. Keuchel, 37, held a workout last week and was up to 92 mph. He’ll start at AAA and if he gets to the big leagues would make $2 million prorated.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 9, 2025
Now 37, Keuchel has pitched only sparingly at the big league level the past few years. Since 2021 he has not thrown more than 100 innings in a season, and last year he started just four games for the Brewers while posting a lackluster 5.40 ERA. If the reports of his fastball being 92 are correct, that should give fans some optimism. He was never a hard thrower and his fastball hasn’t averaged above 90 since that Cy Young season. Last season he averaged 88.1 and topped out at 89.6, so 92 would show a marked improvement.
Going into the season there was a lot of perceived depth for the Royals’ rotation. With Alec Marsh and Kyle Wright not looking likely to ever make it back this season, they have turned to rookie Noah Cameron, but there is nothing behind him necessitating deals for Rich Hill and now Dallas Keuchel. Hopefully the starters stay healthy and Cole Ragans can eventually rejoin the team after recently resuming throwing again, but if not, then we may see Dallas in Kansas City blue for the first time soon.