Sources: The Royals signed Michael Wacha to a three-year, $51 million contract.

Right-handed Michael Wacha and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a three-year, $51 million contract that includes a club option for a fourth year and could reach a maximum of $72 million, sources told ESPN.

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

Wacha, 33, was expected to opt out of the final year of the two-year, $32 million contract he signed with the Royals last winter but chose to remain in Kansas City, where he has excelled against one of baseball’s best defensive teams.

Kansas City likely would have made a qualifying offer to Wache that would have weakened its free agent market, and the parties struck the deal during the five-day post-World Series quiet period during which teams can re-sign their free agents to-be. The deal will nearly double Wacha’s career earnings.

Wacha’s nomadic career—he’s played for six teams over the past six seasons—has been on the rise since he turned 30. Last year, he found perhaps the best version of himself, going 13-8 with a 3.35 ERA in 29 starts. . , his best result since 2017. Vacha and Seth Lugohis former San Diego Padres teammate has helped stabilize a rotation that also includes an All-Star. Cole Ragans and helped propel Kansas City 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 the start of Wachee’s first game of the American League Series. “He’s the most accomplished pitcher I’ve ever seen when he’s not pitching. He plays in every pitch. He gives the guys high fives for maintaining order in double plays, for breaking double plays, for throwing to the right base. He participates in every fight when his teammates are there. He looks for something with the other team when he is on the bench.

“He is a consummate professional.”

In 166⅔ innings in 2024, Wacha struck out 145, walked 45 and allowed 17 home runs. Armed with one of the best changeups in baseball, Wacha has the 18th-best ERA (3.30) among the 80 starting pitchers with at least 300 innings pitched since 2022.

The deal will pay Wacha $18 million in 2025, $18 million in 2026 and $14 million in 2027, plus an additional $4 million in easily achievable performance bonuses, sources said. The club option is worth $14 million and includes the same $4 million in incentives and a $1 million buyout.

Kansas City is looking to strengthen its rotation this winter, as well as add impact bats. The Royals’ offense struggled in six postseason games – two in the wild card round win over Baltimore and four in the division series loss against New York – hitting .231/.287/.291.

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