Daniel

Mengden

The 32-year-old hurler spent the 2024 season pitching in Taiwan in the Chinese Professional Baseball League then moved to the independent Mexican League for the 2025 campaign. There, he registered a 4.42 ERA, 1.54 WHIP and a 36/26 K/BB ratio over 59 innings in his 11 starts. Apparently the Diamondbacks liked what they saw though and brought him into the mix as additional pitching depth.

Mengden landed with the Nationals last July shortly after being cut loose by the Royals, but didn’t end up making it back to the big leagues last year. The 30-year-old righty has made 65 appearances (49 starts) in the majors since 2016.

Mengden was released by the Royals last week and didn’t take long to find a new home. The soft-tossing 30-year-old righty has made 65 appearances (49 starts) in the majors dating back to 2016. He represents extra organizational pitching depth for the Nationals.

Mengden made it into five games (one start) last year for the Royals and will head to Triple-A Omaha for the outset of the minor league season. The 30-year-old veteran righty is merely emergency starting pitching depth at this stage of his career.

The 29-year-old right-hander wound up appearing in five games (one start) for the Royals this season, posting a 5.14 ERA, 1.57 WHIP and 8/1 K/BB ratio over seven innings of work. He’ll look to latch secure a minor league deal with a spring training invite on the open market this winter.

Mengden was summoned from Triple-A Omaha earlier this month and gave up three runs over 2 2/3 innings last Thursday in a spot start against the White Sox. The 29-year-old righty passed through waivers unclaimed and will remain with the Royals as organizational starting pitching depth.

Mengden struggled in a spot start Thursday and is now headed to waivers. Wyatt Mills takes his roster spot.

It was Mengden’s first start for the Royals after four relief appearances earlier this season. He’ll probably make more starts over the course of the month, but he’s strictly a stopgap.

Mengden has posted underwhelming numbers as a starter this summer at Triple-A, but the 29-year-old right-hander can eat some innings in a versatile role for the Royals as they wrap up another rough season.

Daniel Lynch -- who had been scheduled to start on Thursday -- will instead take on the Tigers at some point over the weekend. Mengden will officially be added to the roster when rosters expand on Thursday. The 29-year-old has pitched well in four appearances out of the Royals bullpen this season, posting a 2.08 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 6/0 K/BB ratio over 4 1/3 innings.