Sources: The Royals are retaining Michael Wacha on a three-year, $51 million contract

Right-hander Michael Wacha and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a three-year, $51 million contract that includes a fourth-year club option and can max out at $72 million, sources told ESPN.

The Royals announced the deal on Sunday but did not disclose terms.

The 33-year-old Wacha was expected to opt out of the final year of the two-year, $32 million contract he signed with the Royals last winter, but preferred to remain in Kansas City, where he will play in front of one of the best defensive teams in the game Baseball was successful.

Kansas City likely would have made Wacha a qualifying offer, which would have dampened its free agent market, and the teams struck a deal during the five-day rest period after the World Series, during which teams can re-sign their free agents . The deal will see Wacha nearly double his career earnings.

Wacha's nomadic career – he has played for six teams in the last six seasons – has been on the upswing since he turned 30. He perhaps found the best version of himself last year, going 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA in 29 starts, his highest since 2017. Wacha and Seth Lugo, his former teammate on the San Diego Padres, contributed. to stabilize a rotation that includes All-Star Cole Ragans and propelled Kansas City's evolution from a 56-win team in 2023 to an 86-win playoff team this year.

“I can’t say enough good things about him as a teammate. I really can’t,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said before Wacha’s start in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. “He's the most dedicated pitcher I've ever seen when he's not pitching. He’s there for every pitch. He praises guys for keeping the double play in order, breaking a double play and throwing to the right base. “He's there for every at-bat when his teammates are up there. When he's on the bench, he looks for things to do with the other team.

“He is the absolute professional.”

In 166⅔ innings in 2024, Wacha posted 145 strikeouts, 45 walks and allowed 17 home runs. Equipped with one of the best changeups in baseball, Wacha has the 18th ERA (3.30) among 80 starting pitchers with at least 300 innings since 2022.

The deal will pay Wacha $18 million in 2025, $18 million in 2026 and $14 million in 2027, with another $4 million available in easily attainable performance bonuses, it said Sources. The club option is $14 million and includes the same $4 million in incentives and a $1 million buyout.

Kansas City hopes to strengthen its rotation and add impact bats this winter. The Royals' offense struggled in six postseason games — two in a wild-card round win against Baltimore and four in a division series loss against New York — hitting .231/.287/.291.

Wacha started in Games 1 and 4 against the Yankees, going 4⅔ innings and allowing two runs in the first game and three runs over four innings in his second start.