Royals transfer Scott Alexander from Ducks, seventh Long Island exit this season

Scott Alexander’s 2.49 ERA and 25 strikeouts for the Long Island Ducks helped earn the left-hander a transfer to the Kansas City Royals organization, making him the seventh Ducks player to have his contract moved to affiliated baseball in 2026. The transaction was announced July 14, and manager Lew Ford said, “Scott has done an outstanding job out of the bullpen for us this season,” before wishing him well with the Royals organization.

Alexander gave Long Island exactly the kind of short-relief production clubs want from a veteran arm. He appeared in 23 games, the most of any Ducks pitcher at the time of the move, and worked 21.2 innings while allowing seven runs, six earned. He gave up just 19 hits and six walks, a tight strike-throwing line that matched his role in the back end of the bullpen. Over his previous 15 outings, Alexander was even sharper, allowing two runs in 14.2 innings for a 1.23 ERA.

For the Ducks, the transfer fit a pattern that has become central to the club’s identity in Central Islip. Long Island was the Atlantic League’s inaugural Player Transfers Award winner in 2024 after leading the league with 10 player contract purchases, and the team has said it has had the most players signed in league history. In 2025, eight Ducks had their contracts purchased, including seven by Major League organizations, another sign of how often the club serves as a ready-made stop for pitchers trying to get back into affiliated ball.

Alexander’s resume explains why Kansas City came calling again. The Ducks listed this as his first season with Long Island and his 16th in professional baseball, and said he has spent 11 Major League seasons with the Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics and Colorado Rockies. MLB.com lists Alexander’s family ties as well, noting that his brother Stuart also pitched professionally and that his younger brother Jason reached the majors with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2022.

Across 349 MLB games, Alexander has compiled a 21-16 record, a 3.36 ERA and 10 saves, with 240 strikeouts in 327.0 innings. He also was part of the Dodgers’ 2018 National League championship season and appeared in four postseason games, credentials that made his performance for Long Island easier to project as another chance to climb back to the big leagues.