Wood finds new home with Royals

Travis Wood
Travis Wood

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Just a week ago, Kansas City Royals General Manager Dayton Moore sat deep within Kauffman Stadium and admitted that he was probably finished building his rotation ahead of spring training.

He decided Monday that there was one more move to make.

The Royals and lefthander Travis Wood (Bryant) agreed to a $12 million, two-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because Wood, 30, still needed to pass a physical for the contract to become official.

Wood has spent the past five seasons with the World Series champion Chicago Cubs, first as a starter and then working exclusively out of the bullpen last year. But he will be given a chance to earn the fifth spot in the Royals’ rotation behind lefthanders Danny Duffy and Jason Vargas and right-handers Ian Kennedy and Jason Hammel.

Moore signed Hammel, a teammate of Wood last season, to a $16 million, two-year contract last week. Moore said then “we believe this acquisition solidifies and completes our rotation.”

The thought was that Kansas City would open the final spot in the rotation to competition among a handful of promising young pitchers. But signing Wood gives them some flexibility; his bullpen history means he could provide important relief innings.

Wood had a 2.95 ERA out of the bullpen last year, and threw 6 1/3 innings of relief during the Cubs’ championship run. Wood even earned a victory in the Division Series against San Francisco.

The Royals have mined the Cubs this offseason as they aim to build on their 81-81 finish a year ago and return to the World Series, which they reached the previous two years. Along with signing Hammel and Wood, they also shipped All-Star closer Wade Davis to Chicago for young outfielder Jorge Soler.

The spending spree for Hammel and Wood late this offseason was made in large part because of the tragic death of Yordano Ventura. The 25-year-old flamethrower, expected to anchor their rotation for years, was killed in a car crash in the Dominican Republic last month.

“Obviously we weren’t in the starting pitcher market,” Moore said last week. “Once we got through the shock of Yordano, obviously, you’ve got to move forward. We have a baseball season to play, a team we are responsible for, players we are committed to and a fan base we’re responsible for as well.”

The Royals were expected to be bit players in free agency this offseason, and Moore acknowledged that the payroll may have to be cut after it established a franchise record last season. But the deals for Hammel and Wood, combined with a $12 million, two-year deal for designated hitter Brandon Moss, means the Royals could eclipse $140 million in payroll for the second consecutive year.

Maness signs

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Reliever Seth Maness has agreed to a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals and will report to big league camp with a chance to earn a job in their rebuilt bullpen.

Maness, whose deal was announced Monday, underwent an experimental procedure on his right elbow in August to repair a damaged ulnar collateral ligament. The injury typically requires Tommy John surgery that would have kept him out this season, but the “primary repair” operation has a recovery time of about eight months.

That means Maness could be ready by opening day.

He had a successful four-year run in St. Louis, where he compiled a 3.19 ERA. That included a 2-2 record with a 3.41 ERA in 29 appearances last season.

REDS

Arroyo getting a look

GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Cincinnati is giving Bronson Arroyo a chance to find out whether he can still pitch more than two years after Tommy John surgery derailed his career.

The right-hander signed a minor league deal Monday as pitchers and catchers reported. Arroyo hasn’t pitched in the majors since his operation in 2014. He signed a minor league deal with Washington last year but had elbow problems again.

“My arm is as good as it gets after grinding for two and a half years to get to this point,” said Arroyo, who turns 40 on Feb. 24.

Arroyo started his career with Pittsburgh and pitched for Boston from 2003-2005. He was a mainstay in the Reds’ rotation from 2006-2013. He signed with Arizona and had elbow surgery a year later.

The Reds could use another starter with Homer Bailey recovering from surgery to remove bone spurs from his pitching elbow last week. Bailey also has struggled to recover from Tommy John surgery in 2015. Arroyo is open to pitching in long relief if there’s no spot in the rotation.

Arroyo welcomed the chance to see if he can extend his career.

NATIONALS

Lind inks deal

WASHINGTON — A person familiar with the deal said Washington has agreed to a $1.5 million, one-year deal with free-agent first baseman Adam Lind, pending a physical.

The person confirmed the agreement to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Monday because nothing had been announced by the Nationals.

The contract would pay Lind $1 million in 2017, and includes a club option for 2018 with a $500,000 buyout.

The terms were reported earlier by The Washington Post.

Lind, who is 33, batted .239 with 20 home runs and 58 RBI for the Seattle Mariners last season.

BRAVES

Surgery scheduled

ATLANTA — Atlanta Braves General Manager John Coppolella isn’t sure if it’s realistic to hope for a return this season of infielder Sean Rodriguez, who will have shoulder surgery.

Rodriguez, who agreed to an $11.5 million, two-year contract with Atlanta in November, hurt his shoulder when a vehicle he was driving was rammed by a stolen police car in Miami on Jan. 28. His wife Giselle and two of their children were hospitalized with injuries she said on her Twitter account were not life-threatening.

Rodriguez’s shoulder injury was not immediately disclosed. On Monday, Coppolella told The Associated Press that Rodriguez’s surgery hasn’t been finalized.

Atlanta acquired second baseman Brandon Phillips from Cincinnati on Sunday.

Rodriguez hit .270 with 18 home runs and 56 RBI — all career highs — for Pittsburgh last year.

DIAMONDBACKS

Two agree to terms

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Arizona agreed to minor-league deals with left-hander Brian Matusz and righthander Kevin Jepsen. Both were invited to major league camp, which began Monday.

Matusz, 30, appeared in seven games for Baltimore and one with the Chicago Cubs last season. He is 27-41 with a 4.92 ERA in 280 big league games.

Jepsen, 32, appeared in 58 games with the Minnesota Twins and Tampa Bay Rays last season, finishing 2-6 with a 5.98 ERA. He led the American League with 75 appearances and had a 2.33 ERA in 2015.

Jepsen is 28-30 with a 3.92 ERA in parts of eight seasons with three teams.

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