The Royals announced right-hander Kyle Wright has cleared waivers and elected free agency. Wright had been placed on outright waivers earlier this week. Left-hander Sam Long has also cleared waivers and elected free agency.
Wright will depart from the organization without making a big-league appearance. Kansas City acquired him in a November 2023 trade that sent Jackson Kowar to the Braves. Wright was recovering from shoulder surgery at the time. He did not throw a pitch in 2024. Wright made eight appearances at two minor-league levels in 2025, but an oblique injury ended his season in July.
Atlanta took Wright with the fifth overall pick in 2017. He debuted with the team the following year. Wright struggled in brief MLB stints from 2018 to 2021, but found his footing in 2022. He made 30 starts with the Braves, posting a 3.19 ERA while leading the majors with 21 wins. Wright entered 2023 with a firm spot in Atlanta’s rotation, though shoulder soreness delayed his start to the season. He made five appearances before hitting the IL again with shoulder inflammation. Wright returned for 12 1/3 innings in September, only to undergo shoulder surgery in the offseason.
Kansas City signed Long as a minor league free agent ahead of the 2024 season. He was solid in 43 appearances with the club, notching a 3.16 ERA with more than a strikeout per inning. Elbow inflammation cost Long a couple of months in 2025. He was a steady part of the bullpen upon returning from the IL in late June.
Long has tossed at least 40 innings at the big-league level in each of the past five seasons. The 30-year-old will be looking for his fourth team in five years.
21-game winner in 2022. He has only 3 career regular-season wins outside of that year.
Was so reliable in 2022, must be one of the one season wonders in MLB
I hope he can bounce back. I wouldn’t mind Atlanta bringing him back in as a depth piece
They will, AA loves to run it back.
Should be well rested
Watch somebody pick him up for peanuts then have him go next level and become a star.
Dont sign this guy. The price is Wrong, beeyatch.
At the time I thought the Royals got the better of the trade as Kowar was horrible at the ML level. But Kowar pitched a little for Seattle this past season and did well, even though his FIP was extremely high and that’s alarming, anyway, I hope they both resurrect their careers.