Royals are bringing back Mike Moustakas on short-term contract, reports say
The Royals are working to bring back All-Star third baseman Mike Moustakas.
Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan reported on Thursday night that Moustakas agreed to a one-year deal with a mutual second-year option worth up to $22.7 million, pending a physical. Passan reported the contract is for $5.5 million for 2018 with up to $2.2 million in incentives and a $1 million buyout on a $15 million option for 2019.
The Royals would not confirm the details. But the club has never shut down the possibility of bringing back Moustakas, last year’s American League Comeback Player of the Year, at the right price.
"We're not going to close our door ever to good players, and Mike Moustakas is a good player,” Royals general manager Dayton Moore said on MLB Network's 30 Clubs in 30 Days segment last week.
Moustakas, who last year earned $8.7 million, rejected the Royals’ qualifying offer of $17.4 million to test free agency. When the market for him was slow to develop, as it was for first baseman Eric Hosmer and a plethora of high-profile players who remain free agents, the Royals began to entertain the notion of Moustakas’ return.
Moustakas, 29, doesn’t fit into the Royals’ long-term plans as they embark on a rebuild. But he does provide a left-handed swing in a righty-dominant lineup — he blasted a club-record 38 home runs last season — and protection for young players Cheslor Cuthbert, Jorge Bonifacio and Jorge Soler.
The Royals signed Lucas Duda and Jon Jay in the last week for the same reason — to ensure that players who are still trying to establish themselves in the major leagues aren't overexposed in a young lineup.
Moustakas hit .272 with an on-base-plus-slugging percentage of .835 and 85 RBIs over 148 games last season. He won the the MLB All-Star final vote in the American League for the second time in his career and appeared in the first round of the home run derby, where he was out-clubbed 11-10 by the Twins’ Miguel Sano.
Moustakas’ return would make Cuthbert the odd man out of a starting job, but Cuthbert could still be a candidate to platoon at third base and as designated hitter.
Moustakas could certainly spend time as the Royals’ DH, too, given the knee troubles he’s experienced in the last two seasons. Moustakas tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in May 2016, an injury that ended his season and made way for Cuthbert to play in 128 games and hit at a .274 clip. Moustakas also spent time off the field last season while battling a sore right knee late in the year, appearing in 17 games as the designated hitter.
The Royals will have to make a corresponding roster move when the Moustakas deal becomes official.
This story was originally published March 8, 2018 at 9:11 PM with the headline "Royals are bringing back Mike Moustakas on short-term contract, reports say."