Injuries & Moves: 7 Royals become free agents

5:35 PM UTC

The Royals' injuries and roster moves page will be updated throughout the offseason. Following the conclusion of the World Series, the Royals saw seven players depart for free agency, bringing their 40-man roster to 33 players.

LATEST NEWS

Oct. 31: LHP , RHP , UTIL , INF , 1B and OFs and become free agents
Smith ended the season on the 15-day IL but was throwing live sessions by the time the Royals were playing in the postseason. Lorenzen and DeJong were Trade Deadline pickups, while Gurriel, Grossman and Pham were the three hitters the Royals added at the August waiver deadline to boost their offense down the stretch.

The Royals could explore a reunion with Lorenzen, who offers pitching versatility in the rotation and bullpen, or Pham, who took over leadoff responsibilities late in the year despite inconsistent results. The Royals also liked the competitive fire Pham added to their clubhouse, and as they try to take a bigger step in their contention window next year, his personality and leadership could be a boon throughout a long season.

INJURY UPDATES

LHP (left arm/biceps nerve injury)
Expected return: 2025
Taylor felt soreness when he was warming up for his Cactus League outing on March 17 and was shut down afterward with left biceps soreness. The lefty reliever was diagnosed with a musculocutaneous nerve injury and transferred to the 60-day IL in April. Taylor was shut down for a while and did not begin throwing until July. He began a rehab assignment with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Sept. 7 and was transferred on Sept. 15 to Triple-A Omaha, where he ended his season. He was not with the Royals in October nor included on their postseason roster. (Last updated: Oct. 1)

RHP (right shoulder surgery)
Expected return
: 2025
The Royals traded for Wright in November in exchange for Jackson Kowar knowing Wright was coming off shoulder surgery after the 2023 season. They made the move thinking ahead a year, foreseeing how Wright, who will be 29 in '25, could help after he led the Majors with 21 wins and posted a 3.19 ERA in '22.

Pitchers who have this procedure typically take a year to return, and Wright is rehabbing in Kansas City and remains on track to have a normal, non-rehabbing offseason later this year. (Last updated: Aug. 5)