KANSAS CITY, MON – The Royals and Zach Greinke have agreed to a deal for the upcoming season, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press Monday, giving the six-time All-Star pitcher nine seasons over two stints at Kansas City.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because Greinke, 39, had yet to complete an exam.
Financial terms of the deal, first reported by Kansas City sports radio host Bob Fescoe, were not immediately available. Greinke earned $13 million from the Royals last season, where he spent the first seven seasons before returning last year and going 3-9 with a 3.68 ERA and scoring 73 over 137 innings for the rebuilding club.
Although Greinke spent two stints on the injury list, he conceded two or fewer runs in 17 of his 26 starts last season.
Perhaps most importantly, Greinke took on one of baseball’s younger rotations as an experienced leader. Brady Singer, just 26, rose to personal ace status, while 20-somethings Daniel Lynch and Kris Bubic also made progress.
Greinke, who turns 40 in October, began his career in Kansas City as a surging first-round pick in the 2002 amateur draft. He nearly got out of the game before making it to the big leagues two years later and a 20- year-long career that included stints with the Brewers, Angels, Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Astros.
The 2009 Cy Young winner ranks first among active pitchers with 514 career starts and 3,247 innings pitched. Greinke is second to Justin Verlander with 223 wins, third in strikeouts (2,882), and has six Gold Gloves and two Silver Slugger Awards.
The royals have been quiet for most of the offseason but have been busy in the weeks leading up to spring training.
Most recently, they sent beginning outfielder Michael A. Taylor to the Twins and injury-prone shortstop Adalberto Mondesi to the Red Sox, adding three pitching perspectives to the deals. They also signed Aroldis Chapman to a $3.75 million deal for 2023 in hopes the seven-time All-Star can bounce back from a disappointing season with the Yankees.
At the start of the offseason, the Royals signed pitchers Ryan Yarbrough and Jordan Lyles. Both are candidates for the starting rotation, although Yarbrough’s value will most likely be found in the bullpen.
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