KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals acquired left-handed pitcher Amir Garrett on Wednesday in a trade with Cincinnati that sent veteran left-hander Mike Minor back to the National League.
The deal also includes conditional cash consideration for the Royals.
Garrett led the Reds with 63 appearances from the bullpen last season, going 0-4 with a 6.04 ERA and a career-high seven saves. He struck out 61 in 47 2/3 innings.
Garrett, who broke into the big leagues in 2017, is 10-17 with a career 5.10 ERA in 255 2/3 innings across 235 games.
After spending his rookie season primarily in the rotation, Garrett shifted to the bullpen and performed exceptionally well for Cincinnati from 2018-20, going 7-5 with a 3.60 ERA and 175 strikeouts in 137 1/3 innings over 156 games during those three seasons. He averaged 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings during that span.
Garrett was honored with the Joe Nuxhall Good Guy Award last season, an award bestowed by the local chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
He joins a bullpen that relied heavily on Jake Brentz for a left-handed arm in relief last season.
Brentz appeared in 72 games, while Richard Lovelady appeared in 20 games.
Minor went 8-12 with a 5.05 ERA in 2021, his first season back with Kansas City after a one-year stint in 2017.
He previously spent time with Atlanta, Texas and Oakland.
The move reduces congestion in the Royals' rotation, which is spearheded by Brad Keller with a litany of younfg, lively arms — Brady Singer, Kris Bubic, Carlos Hernandez, Daniel Lynch, Jackson Kowar and Jon Heasley — among those also vying for a starting spot.
