A year ago, the Royals brought in Kris Medlen, who hadn't pitched the year before while rehabbing an injury. The right-hander gave the Royals a number of quality innings in their march to the 2015 world championship.
The Royals made a similar move Friday, signing left-hander Mike Minor to a two-year major league contract (with a mutual option for 2018). Minor did not pitch in 2015 while recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered in spring training.
Minor is expected to compete with Medlen, Chris Young, Dillon Gee and Danny Duffy for one of two rotation spots. Edinson Volquez, Yordano Ventura and Ian Kennedy are the team's top three starters.
In a corresponding roster move, left-hander Jason Vargas (Tommy John surgery in August) was placed on the 60-day disabled list.
The Associated Press reported that Minor's contract will pay him $2 million this season and $4 million next season. It also includes a $10 million mutual option for 2018 with a $1.25 million buyout.
Minor, 28, was non-tendered by the Atlanta Braves in December after spending his entire career with the organization. He was selected seventh overall in the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft.
Before getting hurt last spring, Minor went 38-36 with a 4.10 ERA in 110 starts (111 outings), while averaging 7.80 strikeouts per 9.0 innings over the five previous seasons with the Braves. From the 2012 All-Star break to the end of 2014, Minor ranked 11th in the National League in ERA (3.52). His best season in Atlanta came in 2013, when he helped the Braves to a NL East title, going 13-9 with a 3.21 ERA in a career-high 32 starts. That season, he ranked ninth in the NL in WHIP (1.09) and 10th in innings (204.2) while making the ninth-most starts.
