Royals Rumblings

Royals Rumblings - News for January 17, 2023

Will the Royals bring Zack back?

By Max Rieper@maxrieper Jan 17, 2023, 8:00am EST

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Ken Rosenthal at The Athletic writes about the latest on Zack Greinke negotiations.

Still, we’re talking about Zack Greinke, potential Hall of Famer. He might not be a forever Royal, but he was first a Royal and most recently a Royal. To protect against his departure, the team signed Lyles to a two-year, $17 million free-agent deal in late December. The Royals’ fear, then and now, was that Greinke would want a contract reflecting the surge in the market for starting pitchers — a contract beyond their reach.

For Greinke to return to Kansas City, he probably would need to accept a low base salary that could grow with incentives based on innings pitched, according to sources familiar with the team’s thinking but not authorized to speak publicly. The Royals are leaving the possibility open, even if it potentially would leave fewer innings for their younger pitchers.

Anne Rogers makes predictions on the year, including who might sign a long-term deal.

It might not quite be time to start contract talks with Melendez because of his position uncertainty — a catcher’s contract might look different than an outfielder’s contract. His bat, though, might force the issue soon.

Singer and Pasquantino make the most sense. Singer is coming off a breakout year with his 3.23 ERA across 153 1/3 innings, while Pasquantino — a former 11th-round pick out of Old Dominion — hit .295/.383/.450 with 35 walks and 34 strikeouts after his debut in June. He established himself as the Royals’ No. 4 hitter and a critical piece of their lineup; he had a 137 wRC+, which ranked 29th in the big leagues (min. 250 plate appearances). If the Royals can lock up even one of their young stars, it signals a willingness to increase payroll and extend a competitive window.

Prospects Live has their top 30 Royals prospects list out (Patreon sub required)

Jordan Foote at Inside the Royals wants the Royals to steer clear of Gary Sanchez.

Mike Gillespie at Kings of Kauffman projects Amir Garrett’s season.

Former Kansas City Athletics pitcher Carl Duser dies at the age of 90.

San Diego signs former Royals reliever Domingo Tapia.

The White Sox sign Jake Marisnick to a minor league deal.

What are the storylines to watch the remainder of this off-season?

Are the Padres “all in” on Shohei Ohtani next off-season?

Boston eyes free agent shortstops Elvis Andrus and Jurickson Profar.

Why Torii Hunter’s Hall of Fame case is stronger than you think.

Reds president Phil Castellini rankles fans with comments at a supporter’s luncheon.

How some baseball nerds in the 1990s began Baseball Prospectus.