The Royals continued their quest to rebuild pitching depth by signing pitcher Tony Gonsolin to a contract with a club option for the 2027 season. To make room for him on the 40-man roster, the Royals designated pitcher Eli Morgan for assignment. Gonsolin was placed on the 15-day Injured List.
Gonsolin debuted with the Dodgers in 2019, and earned Rookie of the Year votes and started two games of the World Series the next year. He was an All-Star in 2022 when he went 16-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 24 starts. The next year he regressed with a 4.98 ERA in 20 starts, and finished the year on the Injured List with forearm inflammation. He had Tommy John surgery and missed the entire 2024 season.
He returned in 2025 to make seven starts, but that summer he experienced right elbow discomfort. He avoided surgery, instead opting for an internal brace procedure, but he did not return to action. The Dodgers designated him for assignment after the season, and he did not sign with anyone in 2026.
When healthy, Gonsolin posted some terrific numbers, although his ERA was generally much lower than his FIP. He relies heavily on a plus splitter, with a fastball that sits at 93 mph.
Morgan appeared in 16 games for the Royals this year as a reliever, posting a 5.12 ERA with 16 strikeouts and 9 walks in 19.1 innings.