Former Cardinal's emerging place in Royals history adds twist to I-70 rivalry

As residents of a city steeped in history and a rich baseball tradition that few others places can match, many St. Louis natives are fiercely proud of the place they grew up and of their beloved St. Louis Cardinals. Many may consider it the crown jewel of Missouri, but one significant sector of the state is likely to disagree.

About 250 miles and three adult shopping centers across Interstate 70 lies the Show-Me State's other major metropolis. Kansas City is home to the Royals, who were introduced to the league as an expansion team that began play in 1969. With far less history to look back on, the Royals aren't nearly as entrenched in baseball lore as the Cardinals, and for much of their existence, success has eluded them.

Royals fans can, of course, lord over Cardinals supporters when it comes to the 1985 World Series (although if challenges had existed in baseball back then, things would have likely ended quite differently), but for nearly 60 years, Royals fans have often seen their team as the Cardinals' little brother.

However, much to Cardinals fans' chagrin, the tide has been turning as the Cardinals find themselves mired in a rebuild while the Royals, led by young superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., look to be on the upswing. But although Witt is the most exciting piece for the Royals, a seasoned veteran — and former Cardinals top prospect — has become a key piece on the mound and is rocketing up the lists for the most valuable free agent signings in Royals history.

Michael Wacha has proven himself to be one of the Royals' best free agent signings ever.

Kansas City signed the former Cardinals pitcher to a two-year, $32 million following the 2023 season. and after he went 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA, the Royals re-upped his contract to three years and $51 million. He owned a 3.86 ERA in 172.2 innings in 2025.

Although Wacha wasn't included on this list of the Royals' best free agent pitcher signings in team history, his scintillating start to 2026 could vault him further into that conversation if he continues to pitch well this year. His first two outings saw him go 13 innings while allowing only one earned run. During his Royals career, Wacha has accrued a 6.7 bWAR and has a 3.50 ERA in 352.1 innings.

Wacha was the Cardinals' first-round pick in 2012 and landed as the team's No. 6 prospect for Baseball America the following year. He debuted for the major league team just 364 days after his final college pitch at Texas A&M. Over seven seasons with the Cardinals, Wacha held a 3.91 ERA in 867.2 innings and showed flashes of brilliance, including throwing 8.2 no-hit innings against the Washington Nationals in his rookie year.

On the other end, he was a victim of a walk-off home run in the 2014 NLCS that sent the Cardinals home after manager Mike Matheny made the head-scratching decision to use Wacha after he hadn't pitched since late September because of an injury. Medical maladies would soon become a semi-frequent occurrence with Wacha and may have contributed to the Cardinals' decision to let him loose in free agency following the 2019 season.

Wacha's young and carefree days with the Cardinals have given way to a wily and crafty pitcher succeeding with wits and guile. At age 34, Wacha may soon call it a career, but he looks to have plenty of gas left in the tank not only to pitch effectively in the Royals rotation, but also to serve as a valuable mentor to younger players on the team. His tenure in St. Louis was one of early success and later frustration, but it's difficult to say that he hasn't lived up to his prospect pedigree throughout what has turned into a highly respectable stint in baseball.