KANSAS CIY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals are adding a veteran to the rotation, according to reports.
The club is close to signing veteran right-hander Jordan Lyles to a two-year deal worth $17 million, according to a report by MLB.com's Mark Feinsand.
Jordan Lyles is closing in on a two-year deal with the Royals, per source.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) December 20, 2022
Lyles, a 2008 first-round pick by Houston who reached the big leagues in 2011, joins former Tampa Bay left-hander Ryan Yarbrough as the Royals' only free-agent signings so far this offseason.
Lyles is 66-90 with a 5.10 ERA in 12 seasons, including stints with the Astros, Colorado, San Diego, MIlwaukee, Pittsburgh, Texas and Baltimore.
He spent the last season with an Orioles team that surprisingly stayed in contention until the season's final week and finished above .500.
He led the team with 179 innings pitched, finishing 12-11 with a 4.42 ERA.
Lyles has posted double-digit wins in each of the last three full seasons, including 12 combined with the Pirates and Brewers in 2019 and 10 with the Rangers in 2021.
The Royals have been relatively quiet this offseason, spending the fourth-least amount of money during the free-agent frenzy. Only Cincinnati, Seattle and Miami have spent less than Kansas City.
Lyles and Yarbrough join Brady Singer, Brad Keller, Daniel Lynch, Kris Bubic and Jonathan Heasley among candidates for the 2023 rotation.
