Kansas City Royals – Page 23 – North Platte Post Archive

Royals’ Hochevar to Begin Throwing off Mound Soon

Posted on December 5, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Royals right-hander Luke Hochevar hopes to begin throwing off a mound later this month as he continues to rehab from Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss all of last season.

Hochevar, who signed a $10 million, two-year deal to remain in Kansas City this week, had the surgery after feeling a twinge in his pitching elbow in spring training. He wound up watching from the dugout as the Royals surged to the World Series.

Hochevar said on a conference call with reporters Friday that he had other offers in free agency but he wanted to stay with the Royals after watching their success this past season.

The former No. 1 overall draft pick said he feels better now than he did before the surgery.

Royals Announce 2-Year Deal for Reliever Hochevar

Posted on December 4, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Luke Hochevar and the American League champion Kansas City Royals have completed a $10 million, two-year contract that includes a mutual option for 2017.

The team announced the move Thursday.

Hochevar will earn $4 million next season and $5.5 million in 2016 with a $500,000 buyout, a person familiar with the terms told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the club does not release contract details.

The Royals decided to sign the former No. 1 overall draft pick to a multiyear deal in part because he is coming off Tommy John surgery that caused him to miss last season, and it is unclear just how quickly the right-hander will be back to full strength.

AP Source: Royals, Hochevar Agree to 2-Year Deal

Posted on December 3, 2014December 4, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Right-hander Luke Hochevar and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a $10 million, two-year deal, a person familiar with the negotiations tells The Associated Press.

Hochevar will make $4.5 million this season and $5.5 million for the 2016 season, the person said Wednesday, speaking on condition of anonymity because Hochevar must pass a physical to complete the agreement.

Hochevar missed last season after Tommy John surgery.

The former No. 1 overall draft pick struggled for years as a starting pitcher, going 11-11 with a 4.61 ERA in his best season. But when he was dynamic after shifting to the bullpen and went 5-2 with a 1.92 ERA in 2013.

Royals Trade Crow to Miami; give Frasor $1.8M Deal

Posted on November 28, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Former first-round draft pick Aaron Crow has been traded from the Kansas City Royals to the Miami Marlins for left-hander Brian Flynn and right-hander Reid Redman.

In another move Friday, Jason Frasor and the Royals agreed to a one-year contract with a 2016 mutual option that guarantees the reliever $1.8 million.

Crow, a 28-year-old right-hander taken with the 12th overall pick in 2009, was 6-1 with a 4.12 ERA and three saves in 67 relief appearances this year. The Topeka, Kansas, native did not pitch in the postseason.

Flynn, 24, was 8-10 record with a 4.06 ERA ERA in 25 starts at Triple-A New Orleans and also had one start and one relief appearance for the Marlins, a year after making four starts for Miami in his first big league season. He played at Wichita State in 2009 and ’11.

Royals get OF Fuentes from Padres for LHP Bartsch

Posted on November 20, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals have acquired outfielder Reymond Fuentes from the San Diego Padres for left-hander Kyle Bartsch.

The trade was announced Thursday.

The 23-year-old Fuentes hit a combined .294 with five home runs, 33 RBIs and 25 steals in Triple-A and Double-A last season. He made his major league debut in 2013, hitting .152 in 23 games with the Padres.

The 23-year-old Bartsch went 5-5 with seven saves and a 2.29 ERA in 41 relief appearance at the advanced Class A level.

DH Billy Butler and Athletics reach 3-year deal

Posted on November 19, 2014November 19, 2014

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP)- The Oakland Athletics have agreed to terms on a $30 million, three-year contract with designated hitter Billy Butler through the 2017 season.

Butler helped the Kansas City Royals reach the World Series last month after a 29-year playoff drought. In the postseason opener, they rallied late to eliminate Oakland in the AL wild-card game. Butler contributed two hits and two RBIs.

After losing to the San Francisco Giants in seven games, the Royals declined their $12.5 million option on Butler for next season, making the 2012 All-Star a free agent for the first time in his eight-year career.

The Royals, who selected Butler with the 14th overall pick in the 2004 draft, owed him a $1 million buyout.

Salvador Perez Due for Even More Time Behind Plate

Posted on November 7, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — After making the most starts behind the plate of any big league catcher in a century, Salvador Perez wants more.

The Kansas City Royals star was among 29 players on the roster announced Friday for the Major League Baseball all-star postseason tour of Japan.

Game 7 of the World Series last week was Perez’s 158th start at catcher during the regular season and postseason, the most since at least 1914, according to STATS. Perez topped the 156 starts made by the Chicago Cubs’ Randy Hundley during the 1968 regular season.

Also on the roster from the AL champion Royals are Game 7 starter Jeremy Guthrie; backup catcher Erik Kratz and shortstop Alcides Escobar. No members of the World Series champion San Francisco Giants are making the trip.

Royals, Orioles each Win 3 Gold Gloves, Molina 7th

Posted on November 4, 2014

NEW YORK (AP) — St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina has won his seventh Gold Glove in a row while three players from both the Kansas City Royals and Baltimore Orioles have been honored for fielding excellence.

Rawlings announced the winners Tuesday. Managers and coaches voted for the awards in their own leagues. The Society for American Baseball Research’s Defensive Index factored about 25 percent into the results.

Left fielder Alex Gordon, catcher Salvador Perez and first baseman Eric Hosmer won from the AL champion Royals. Center fielder Adam Jones, right fielder Nick Markakis and shortstop J.J. Hardy won from Baltimore.

There were six first-time winners — Mets center fielder Juan Lagares, Miami left fielder Christian Yelich, Colorado second baseman DJ LeMahieu, Seattle third baseman Kyle Seager and pitchers Dallas Keuchel of Houston and Zack Greinke of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Royals Extend Qualifying Offer to Shields

Posted on November 3, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals extended a $15.3 million qualifying offer Monday to right-hander James Shields, which assures Kansas City of draft pick compensation if its staff ace signs a major league contract with another team before June 8.

Shields has until Nov. 10 to accept, and it is expected he will not. In the past two years, none of the 22 free agents given qualifying offers have accepted.

Kansas City has expressed interest in re-signing Shields, who helped the Royals reach the playoffs for the first time in 29 years and win the AL pennant. But with higher-payroll clubs in the market for pitching, Shields is expected to sign elsewhere.

If that happens, the Royals would receive a compensatory draft pick between the first and second rounds of next year’s amateur draft.

Royals Decline 2015 Option on DH Billy Butler

Posted on November 2, 2014

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals have declined their option for next season on Billy Butler, making the former All-Star designated hitter a free agent for the first time in his eight-year career.

The Royals elected to pay Butler a $1 million buyout rather than exercise their $12.5 million option for next season. There is still the chance Butler could sign a new contract with the club that chose him in the first round of the 2004 amateur draft.

Butler was an All-Star two years ago, when the game was played in Kansas City. But he hit just .271 with nine homers and 66 RBIs this season, far below his career averages.

He hit .262 with eight RBIs during the playoffs as the Royals reached World Series.