This story was excerpted from Anne Rogers¡¯ Royals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

KANSAS CITY -- The Royals¡¯ bullpen was as up-and-down as it gets in 2024, toiling through the summer but clicking down the stretch and into the postseason.

Things changed at the Trade Deadline when Lucas Erceg joined the fold, stepping into the closer role and dominating there, which helped define roles of other relievers and solidify the back end of the bullpen.

In September, the ¡¯pen became a strength, posting a 2.77 ERA in the last month and picking up the team when the offense stalled. In 25 postseason innings, relievers had a 2.16 ERA. While things change year to year, especially with the volatility of relievers, the end of 2024 certainly gives some momentum heading into ¡¯25, if only because the Royals don¡¯t have to spend a ton of time revamping the unit like they did last offseason.

¡°My hope is that the experience of one playoff game might be worth a few months of regular season experience,¡± Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. ¡°What they did at the end of the year should provide a lot of optimism.¡±

So the Royals have the names for their bullpen. It's just the matter of how the best eight emerge and what their roles will be.

There also will be more names added to this group in the coming months. General manager J.J. Picollo has stated his desire to bring in more pitching depth this offseason in the form of a swingman (who can go between the rotation and bullpen, depending on the club needs) and Minor League signings that have a chance to break out in 2025.

¡°We feel good about our bullpen,¡± Picollo said this week. ¡°It¡¯s just: Was there enough of a sample size of what we did at the end of the year to feel like it¡¯s a good bullpen? It¡¯s better than it¡¯s been.¡±

For now, here¡¯s how the unit is shaping up based on the current 40-man roster:

The locks
Lucas Erceg, Hunter Harvey, John Schreiber, Chris Stratton
Erceg returns as the Royals¡¯ closer a year after posting a 2.88 ERA following the Deadline deal. The club will be counting on a return to form by Harvey, whom it acquired in July from the Nationals. The righty managed just 5 2/3 innings with Kansas City. Harvey went on the injured list in August with back tightness and didn¡¯t return the rest of the year.

Picollo said Harvey will begin throwing next week and is expected to be ready in the spring. Ideally, Harvey will pitch high-leverage innings in front of Erceg.

¡°I know he had a tough go with us,¡± Picollo said. ¡°Part of getting guys with years of control was protecting yourself from that. He¡¯s a quiet guy, reserved, and I think he was disappointed he didn¡¯t help the team. But our end-of-the-year meeting with him was, ¡®We acquired you for a reason. We¡¯re going to need you.¡¯¡±

Schreiber, who is eligible for salary arbitration for the second time, will return as an important veteran voice in the ¡¯pen. Quatraro will likely rely on him again for high-leverage spots against righties.

Stratton had a poor 2024 and exercised his $4.5 million player option to return in ¡¯25. He ended the year on the IL with a right forearm strain, so the Royals are hoping he¡¯ll be better when healthy next year and able to pick up middle innings. They could try to trade him or eat the money if they need a roster spot. But as of now, he¡¯s part of the team.

In the mix
Kris Bubic, Kyle Wright, Daniel Lynch IV, Alec Marsh, Sam Long, Angel Zerpa, James McArthur, Carlos Hern¨¢ndez
Included here are some of the pitchers who will be competing for a rotation spot -- Bubic, Wright, Lynch and Marsh. It seems Bubic and Marsh are the two frontrunners to fill in the rotation behind Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans and Michael Wacha. Lynch ended the season on a scoreless streak of 20 2/3 innings, allowing just nine hits -- all as a reliever.

Wright missed all of 2024 after right shoulder surgery. He should be pitching in spring, but the Royals might have him on a slower buildup because of the time he missed. He¡¯ll help at some point next season, though, and that could be starting or relieving.

Long and Zerpa were really important to that good bullpen at the end of the season, and they figure to be a part of it again in 2025 as lefties who can pitch in high leverage. Hern¨¢ndez pitched only 30 innings this past season due to injuries and inconsistency, but he¡¯ll be out of Minor League options next year. The power righty will have to earn his spot in spring and prove he can stay in the strike zone.

Outside shot
Noah Cameron, Steven Cruz, Jonathan Bowlan, Evan Sisk, Eric Cerantola, Luinder Avila
Cameron, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Royals¡¯ No. 12 prospect, will be part of the rotation competition in spring, although the older starters will have a head start. But the 25-year-old Cameron will be part of the depth next year, with his MLB debut coming at some point. That¡¯s why it¡¯s more likely he begins the season as a Triple-A starter than in the Royals¡¯ bullpen. But a standout spring means anything can happen.

Cruz and Bowlan have some MLB experience and will be part of the depth next year. Sisk was added to the 40-man roster in November and could provide a different look in the bullpen as a sidearm lefty. His 1.57 ERA in Triple-A should earn him a good chance at breaking through to Kansas City at some point.

Avila (No. 26) and Cerantola (No. 29) were the other two prospects the Royals added to the roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft. Both need more development time before they¡¯re ready for the big leagues.