Royals Add Former Tigers Closer Following His DFA
And he’s a hometown product, too.
Always on the lookout for bullpen reinforcements, the Kansas City Royals added a new arm on Thursday.
Right-handed reliever Alex Lange, who spent the past five seasons with the Detroit Tigers—Kansas City’s division foe—was designated for assignment last week after spending most of the last year and a half on the injured list.
The Royals jumped at the chance to bring him in. As reported by Anne Rogers of MLB.com, Lange and Kansas City agreed to a one-year deal for the 2026 season on Tuesday.
What Lange Brings to Kansas City
Lange was once a key late-inning option for Detroit, but a lat injury in 2024 derailed his momentum. He hit the injured list on June 27, 2024, and didn’t return to the majors until Aug. 18 this year — only to be sent back to Triple-A immediately after a lone outing in a lopsided loss to Houston.
He finished the year with Triple-A Toledo, and the Tigers DFA’d him on Nov. 12 before officially releasing him on Tuesday.
Detroit, fighting for a postseason spot, didn’t see room for him in its packed bullpen. Should Lange regain his old form, he’d no doubt relish proving that the Tigers gave up on him too quickly.
Though born in California, Lange grew up locally, attending Lee’s Summit West High School just 15 miles from Kauffman Stadium. The former first-round pick (No. 30 in 2017 by the Cubs) has logged 196 MLB appearances with a 3.70 ERA and 222 strikeouts over 184 2/3 innings.
The Royals aren’t necessarily expecting him to match his standout 2023 season — when he tallied 26 saves and struck out 79 batters in 66 innings — but even a solid seventh-inning performance would be a meaningful addition to a bullpen already featuring Carlos Estévez, Lucas Erceg, and John Schreiber.
While larger moves are likely ahead, Kansas City fans can appreciate the team acting quickly and capitalizing on low-risk opportunities.
No Comment! Be the first one.