KC Royals: Kelvin Herrera Agrees To Two-Year Deal

Kansas City Royals reliever Kelvin Herrera agreed to a 2-year contract, avoiding arbitration with a week to go before pitchers and catcher report for spring training at Surprise, Arizona.

Royals rumors suggest the deal is for $4.15 million over two seasons. That means Herrera will not have to worry about arbitration hearings until the winter of 2016-17.

Kansas City Star reporter Andy McCullough tweeted news about the deal on Thursday:

Heard the Royals are finalizing a two-year, $4.15 million deal to avoid arbitration with Kelvin Herrera.
— Andy McCullough (@ByMcCullough) February 12, 2015

General manager Dayton Moore continues to check off his “to do” list before the season, with only the arbitration-eligible Eric Hosmer and Greg Holland remaining unsigned.

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Last season, Kelvin Herrera established himself as one of the dominant middle-relievers in baseball with a 1.41 ERA in 70.0 innings pitched and 7.6 strikeouts per 9 innings (K/9). Herrera’s average fastball velocity burned up speed guns across the league with an 98.1 mph rating.

More impressively, Kelvin Herrera didn’t give up a home run all year and held opposing batters to an anemic .214/.295/.266 slash line. He was effective against both right (.196/.276/233) and left (.244/.316/.301) handed batters.

Herrera starred in the post-season along with bullpen mates Wade Davis and Greg Holland, forming the Kansas City Royals famed “HDH” trio.

The three provided Kansas City with historic back-end performance, becoming the most famous post-season bullpen since the “Nasty Boys” with the 1990 Cincinnati Reds.

The Royals might have fallen short of winning a World Championship, but the bullpen became the first in major-league history to start the post-season 7-0. Unfortunately, Brandon Finnegan lost game 4 of the World Series to blemish their perfect record.

Kelvin Herrera, along with his HDH brethren, is one of the major reasons why most pundits rate the Kansas City Royals bullpen as the best in baseball coming into the 2015 season.

Along with the return of HDH, general manager Dayton Moore has added Luke Hochevar, who missed the entire 2014 season with elbow surgery after posting a dominant 1.92 ERA as a reliever in 2013.

Moore has also brought in former Atlanta ace Kris Medlen, who will likely begin in the pen due to his recovery from elbow surgery. Rule 5 pick Jandel Gustave joins the mix, bringing a 100mph fastball to add another flamethrower to an already overpowering pen.

Dayton Moore has also brought in former Phillies closer Ryan Madson, another injury rehab project. KC also re-signed mid-season acquisition Jason Frasor, and traded Aaron Crow for lefty prospect Brian Flynn.

Remember. also, that second-year lefty—and playoff phenom—Brandon Finnegan is still available to help.

The Royals bullpen looks stocked to the gills with power arms.

Welcome back, Kelvin.

Next: Ten Greatest Moments in KC Royals History

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