Royals Release Reliever Justin Topa from Triple-A

The Kansas City Royals have released Justin Topa, a veteran right-handed reliever, from their Triple-A affiliate in Omaha. Topa, who signed a minor league contract with the Royals in early July, is now a free agent.

Topa, 35, began the 2026 season with the Minnesota Twins but struggled, posting an 8.05 ERA over 19 innings. His performance included a career-high walk rate of 12% and four home runs allowed. Despite a strong ground-ball rate of 54.4%, his command faltered significantly.

In his time with the Royals' Omaha team, Topa pitched 12 2/3 innings, allowing just one earned run and achieving a 1.74 ERA. However, his strikeout rate remains a concern at 14.1%. With the trade deadline passed, Topa may attract interest from contending teams looking to bolster their bullpen depth.