The Royals announced Tuesday that they have acquired the right-hander Easton McGee to the Brewers for cash. McGee, who was designated for assignment last week, was optioned to Triple-A Omaha with his new organization. The Royals opened a 40-man roster spot by transferring the righty Nick Mears from 15-day IL to 60-day IL.
The 28-year-old McGee has pitched in parts of four big league seasons but has only 26 1/3 innings in that span. He has thrown two scoreless frames in Milwaukee this season – the second in the Brewers organization. McGee also briefly stopped the Rays and Mariners. He has a 3.08 ERA in the big leagues but a 16.3% strikeout rate. McGee’s walk rate (6.7%) and ground ball rate (46.2%) were both better than average in that major league sample.
In addition to that limited big league time, McGee pitched in parts of six Triple-A seasons. His ERA in that span is just shy of 5.00, though that’s slightly skewed by a tough run as a start with the Rays’ senior general in 2022 and a rocky showing in a small “start” (more than three innings, all as an opener) in Triple-A this year. McGee posted a sharp 3.59 ERA as a reliever with the Brewers’ Nashville franchise last year and has allowed seven of his 26 runs this season over four “starts” spanning just 10 41 2/3 innings.
McGee doesn’t throw hard. He sits just over 92 mph on his four-seamer and sinker. His main ingredients are an 80 mph curveball and a cutter that sits around 87 mph, but he also mixes in some occasional changeups that sit at 85 mph. This is his last minor league option year. The Royals can freely shuttle him between Kansas City and Omaha for the rest of the season, but he’ll be out of minor league cap space heading into the 2027 campaign.
In terms of ERA, the Royals’ bullpen has been the worst in baseball this season. Their 5.33 grade point average trails the Twins (5.19) and A’s (5.18) by a respectable margin. Given that poor mark, it’s no surprise to see Kansas City’s relievers sit at the second-worst strikeout and walk rates (19.3% and 11.7%, respectively). The KC bullpen has allowed an average of 1.44 homers per nine innings — also the second-worst mark in MLB. Left hand Daniel Lynch IV it was good, and okay John Schreiber sleep well again. No other Royals reliever has even 20 innings pitched with an ERA south of Steven Cruzat 4.97.
McGee won’t step in and save the league’s worst relief corps, but he does provide depth at a time when the Royals don’t have Mears alone. Carlos Estevez, James McArthur, Connor Seabold again Alec Marsh on the injured list. Estevez was signed to be the team’s closer but has been limited this season to one-third of an inning. It’s the second season of a two-year, $22.2MM contract. Mears was acquired during the offseason to become one of the team’s top players. He threw only 19 1/3 innings because of shoulder problems. McArthur has served as the team’s closer but has not played since 2024. He had surgery to repair a broken elbow in the 2024-25 season, and after some setbacks, he suffered a second elbow injury seven weeks ago.
Mears, 29, came to the Royals from the sidelines Isaac Collins in a separate trade with the Brewers: an offseason swap that sent the lefty Angel Zerpa in Milwaukee. It didn’t work for either group. Collins has produced a middle-of-the-league offense in left field defense. Mears has been out since late May with a shoulder impingement and will now be sidelined through at least August. Zerpa underwent Tommy John surgery in early May.
The Royals control Mears for next season. He will be eligible for a small raise on this year’s $1.9MM salary in his final offseason. Although he averaged a 5.12 ERA and almost as many walks as strikeouts in 19 1/3 frames as a Royal, he had a 3.49 ERA (20.8 K%, 5.9 BB%) in 56 2/3 innings with Milwaukee last season.
