MLB free agency: Zack Greinke signs deal with Royals 20 years after they drafted him, per report

The Royals have agreed to a deal with free-agent pitcher Zack Greinke, the team announced Wednesday. It’s a one-year deal worth $13 million, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Earlier Wednesday, the Royals traded starting pitcher Mike Minor to the Reds for left-handed reliever Amir Garrett in a move that reportedly saved the club around $8.5 million, so it looks like general manager Dayton Moore lined up some moves here to make things work. 

What a fun deal this is, too. Greinke was the Royals’ first-round pick, sixth overall, out of high school all the way back in 2002. He made the majors in 2004 and won the Cy Young in 2009. The Royals traded him to the Brewers between 2010 and 2011, but they landed Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Esocbar, Jeremy Jeffress and Jake Odorizzi in return, meaning the move had a big hand in back-to-back pennants and the Royals’ 2015 World Series title.

Greinke’s now been an All-Star for the Royals, Dodgers and Diamondbacks and has pitched in the playoffs for the Brewers, Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Astros. He spent the last two-and-a-half seasons in Houston.

In his career, he’s 219-132 with a 3.41 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 2,809 strikeouts in 3,110 innings. He’s won two ERA titles, six Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers in addition to the aforementioned Cy Young. He’ll look to put the finishing touches on his Hall of Fame resume here in 2022 with the Royals, where it all started. 

As for the current Royals’ rotation, Greinke provides veteran stability. Brad Keller, Brady Singer, Kris Bubic, Carlos Hernández and Daniel Lynch are all age 26 or younger. 

And if the Royals are looking to contend in 2022, they might not be done making moves. They were connected to A’s starter Frankie Montas in rumors earlier Wednesday.