Royals Rumors: Mike Minor returns to Kansas City for second stint

Royals rumors have been slow so far, but the Kansas City Royals agreed to a deal with Mike Minor on Sunday evening.

It’s been a slow offseason so far, but the Kansas City Royals made a move on Sunday night, striking a deal with pitcher Mike Minor. This will be Minor’s second stint with the Royals, as he was on their roster in both 2016 and 2017.

Minor hadn’t pitched in the majors since 2014 prior to coming to Kansas City the first time and didn’t make it to the big leagues until 2017 where he pitched quite well. The Royals didn’t trade him because that was the final year before a lot of popular players signed elsewhere and they were hoping to make it to the postseason.

Minor pitched in relief that year, throwing 77.2 innings with six saves. He pitched so well that he landed a multi-year deal with the Rangers where he remained until this past season (he was traded to Oakland at the deadline). He had a 2.55 ERA with the Royals in 2017.

Royals rumors might be slow, but Mike Minor is a name that Royals fans know.

Minor pitched well for the Royals in 2017, but he struggled in 2020. He had an ERA over five with both the Rangers and the Athletics and was used predominantly as a starter. He was an All-Star in 2019, however, and when his stuff is good, he’s a fantastic option to have on the mound.

The good news for Royals fans is that while Minor is coming off of a tough season, he provides versatility to Kansas City’s pitching staff. Minor has been used mostly as a starter in recent years, but the Royals don’t really need him to be a starter for them. They should use him how they did in 2017, which was as a reliever. He flourished in that role and the Royals are looking to get their bullpen back to dominant form, which is where Minor comes in.

There’s also a chance that the Royals could opt to use him as a starter, but with Kris Bubic, Danny Duffy, Brad Keller, Brady Singer, and likely either Carlos Hernandez, Daniel Lynch, or Jackson Kowar (fingers crossed), the rotation looks to be in pretty good shape. Perhaps Minor gets a few spot starts if injuries or inconsistencies occur, but otherwise, he should be used as a reliever.

What do you think of this signing, Royals fans? Are you happy to see Mike Minor coming back to Kansas City?