The Kansas City Royals made a quiet but calculated move Tuesday, picking up right-hander Easton McGee from the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations. It’s the kind of transaction that doesn’t move the needle on most days, but for a team hit hard by pitching injuries, it’s a shot at finding something useful in the margins.
McGee, 28, was designated for assignment by Milwaukee last week. The Royals jumped on the opportunity and optioned him to Triple-A Omaha immediately after the deal. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, Kansas City transferred reliever Nick Mears from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL.
What They’re Getting
McGee has bounced around. The Rays drafted him in the fourth round in 2016 out of Hopkinsville High School in Kentucky. Since then, he’s been with Boston, Seattle, and Milwaukee before signing with Kansas City. The Royals are his fifth organization.
This season in Triple-A Nashville, McGee made 25 appearances — four of them starts — and posted a 5.62 ERA over 41 2/3 innings. Not great on the surface. But dig into the numbers: he struck out 43 batters in that span and limited opponents to a .239 average. Seven of the 26 earned runs he allowed came in those four abbreviated starts, which accounted for only 10 of his innings. So the damage was concentrated, not a pattern.
He’s had two brief stints with the Brewers this season, totaling two scoreless innings in the big leagues with one strikeout. Since 2022, McGee has 13 career MLB appearances (one start) and a 3.08 ERA over 26 1/3 innings. Solid sample, if small.
The Injury Situation Is Real
Mears has been out since late May with a right shoulder impingement. He posted a 5.12 ERA over 19 1/3 innings before hitting the shelf. Moving him to the 60-day IL means he’s out until at least July 27. Mears joins Carlos Estevez, James McArthur, Connor Seabold, and Alec Marsh on the Royals’ growing injured list. So yeah, they need arms.
McGee is in his final minor league option year, which gives the Royals flexibility to shuttle him between Omaha and Kansas City for the rest of the season. That’s useful for a team that’s going to need fresh arms on a rotating basis.
How He Works on the Mound
At 6-foot-7 and 222 pounds, McGee brings a six-pitch mix that starts with his cutter — that’s his primary weapon. He also throws a sinker, curveball, four-seam fastball, sweeper, and changeup. His fastball and sinker sit at about 92 mph. The curveball comes in around 80 mph, the cutter at 87 mph. According to Prospect Savant, he generated a 34.1% chase rate and ranked in the 93rd percentile with a 67.7% strike rate.
Not overpowering stuff, but plenty of movement and command. The kind of profile that can play in relief if everything clicks.
This is a low-cost bet for the Royals. Cash. A 40-man roster shuffle. In return, they get a guy who’s shown flashes at every stop. Whether he turns into a reliable bullpen piece or just a depth arm remains to be seen. But given the state of Kansas City’s pitching staff right now, they’ll take whoever they can get.
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