The Kansas City Royals made an unexpected roster move this week.
The Kansas City Royals made a somewhat surprising decision as spring training winds down, altering what many expected their pitching staff to look like heading into the regular season.
With Opening Day approaching, teams around the league are finalizing their roster cuts and determining which players will break camp with the big‑league club. For Kansas City, much of the focus had centered on how the final spots in the starting rotation would shake out.
One pitcher who appeared to be in line for a role was right‑hander Ryan Bergert, who showed promise late last season after joining the organization. But as the Royals trimmed their roster, they revealed a different plan.
“We have made the following roster moves: RHP Ryan Bergert has been optioned to Omaha (AAA),” the Royals wrote on X.
The move comes as a surprise because Bergert had been widely viewed as a strong candidate to open the season in Kansas City’s rotation. Instead, he will begin the year with Triple-A Omaha.
Kansas City originally acquired Bergert at last year’s trade deadline in a deal with the San Diego Padres. In that trade, the Royals received Bergert and fellow pitcher Stephen Kolek in exchange for catcher Freddy Fermin.
Bergert went on to make eight starts for Kansas City after the trade, posting a 4.43 ERA with 39 strikeouts across 40 2/3 innings. While the results were solid, they represented a slight drop from his performance earlier in the season with San Diego, where he carried a sub‑3.00 ERA while working in both starting and relief roles.
Even so, the 26‑year‑old still appeared to have a legitimate opportunity to claim a rotation spot heading into 2026. Last season marked his rookie campaign at the major‑league level, leaving plenty of room for development.
With Bergert headed to Triple-A, the Royals now appear ready to move forward with Noah Cameron as part of their starting rotation to open the season. Bergert could still factor into the pitching staff later in the year, either returning as a starter or potentially working out of the bullpen depending on team needs.
Originally selected by the Padres in the sixth round of the 2021 MLB Draft, Bergert remains under team control through the 2032 season. That timeline gives the Royals flexibility to continue developing him and determine his long‑term role.
In the short term, Bergert will likely serve as valuable depth. Kansas City dealt with multiple injuries to key arms last season, including pitchers Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic. Because of that history, Bergert could quickly become the first call‑up if the Royals need reinforcements early in the season.