Pearson embracing every role with Royals

This story was excerpted from Anne Rogers’ Royals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

KANSAS CITY -- When the Astros designated Nate Pearson for assignment in July, the Royals were ready to finally acquire him. They had been interested in the high-powered reliever for several years, but it had never lined up to get him in the organization. But with spots to fill in the ‘pen as they began their overhaul of the unit in the second half, they knew Pearson was one they wanted to get a look at and were able to work out a trade with Houston to make it happen.

“When a bullpen is struggling, sometimes you just need to do those things,” general manager J.J. Picollo said of the bullpen churn. “We started to turn it in the latter part of July, and now we’re starting to see some good results, and maybe some pieces that will help us moving forward.”

Put Pearson squarely in that mix, as the 30-year-old is under team control for another season. After bringing him along slowly, the Royals have thrown Pearson in the back end of games lately, and he’s stepped up.

In 17 innings with the Royals, Pearson has a 0.53 ERA, allowing just one run on nine hits with six walks and 15 strikeouts.

“It’s definitely the first time in my career that I feel like I’ve been part of a leverage role, either closing or just coming in when we’re winning in the eighth or whatever inning,” Pearson said. “It’s been fun. That’s my role right now, and I’m excited to keep it going.”

With his 98 mph fastball and putaway pitches in his slider and curveball, Pearson has emerged as the setup man for closer Steven Cruz, although manager Matt Quatraro might swap the two if the matchup calls for it. While there’s still some shakiness as they step into these new roles, the two bring something the Royals' bullpen has lacked for the most part this year: Strikeout stuff.

With Pearson, he’s always had big stuff; he just hasn’t been able to harness it consistently. That was the case when he was a Blue Jays top prospect riddled with injuries, when he made the transition to Toronto’s bullpen and when he was traded to the Cubs in 2024 for two prospects. Pearson posted a 2.73 ERA in 19 appearances for Chicago that season, but he was unable to replicate it in ‘25 before being DFA’d in September.

This offseason, the Astros signed Pearson to a one-year deal thinking he might fill a rotation spot for them. That idea was scratched when he had elbow surgery, but Pearson was able to join their bullpen in May, posting a 3.60 ERA in 16 appearances. That line, plus Pearson’s history, meant more teams were willing to take a flier on him, including the Royals.

“When you look at our advanced analytics, there’s a lot of things that jumped off the page,” Picollo said. “Plus you look at our scouting reports. The fastball has always been an outlier. The slider has been inconsistent, but when he can be in the zone with his fastball and slider, we’re seeing what he can do.”

Pearson’s slider has a 24.7% whiff percentage this year and is his go-to pitch after the fastball. But just as important is the development of his curveball, which was a goal of his coming into the year. He hasn’t thrown it as much (12.5%) but has a 47.6% whiff percentage on it this year.

“It’s inconsistent at times in the zone,” Pearson said. “But if I’m able to land it for strikes, and finish guys off with it, I get a lot of success with it. I think just showing it early in the count, that I can throw it for a strike, makes them think or respect it later in the count, that they’ve got to put a swing on it.”

The other encouraging factor in Pearson’s emergence is his slow heartbeat. Maybe it’s because he knows what pressure feels like as a former top prospect and the hype that comes along with it. Maybe he’s just able to slow his mind when facing tight jams late in games.

But it doesn’t seem like much rattles him -- or if it does, he quickly gets back on track.

“I really like the calmness he’s brought to his outings,” Quatraro said. “He’s been in a lot of different situations in his career, from being, early in his career, a top prospect, starting pitcher, reliever. Just the opportunity he’s made for himself here -- we gave him an opportunity to be on the team, but he’s earned everything he’s gotten from that spot on. It’s been really impressive to watch. He’s fit in tremendously well with the guys. He’s embracing whatever role he comes in. It’s been fun.”