Royals will bring back closer Wily Peralta but Nate Karns opts for free agency
The Royals’ roster is unlikely to endure significant overhaul this winter, but general manager Dayton Moore has conceded that the bullpen will demand his attention.
The work begins with an internal option.
The Royals are bringing back incumbent closer Wily Peralta after the two sides re-worked the option year of his contract, the team announced.
The Royals had until Wednesday to act on a $3 million club option. Instead, they will pay Peralta a $2.25 million base salary in 2019 and add on a $7 million mutual option for 2020 that includes a $1 million buyout, according to Yahoo Sports. The move trims $750,000 in salary from the 2019 payroll.
That’s one pitcher on his way back.
Two more are on the way out.
The Royals outrighted right-handed starter Nate Karns to Class AAA Omaha, but Karns rejected the assignment and elected for free agency instead. The Royals traded outfielder Jarrod Dyson for Karns in January 2017.
And the Chicago Cubs claimed left-hander Jerry Vasto off waivers from the Royals.
After the moves Wednesday, the Royals have three vacancies on their 40-man roster.
Peralta, 29, recorded a career-best 14 saves this year, tied with Kelvin Herrera for most on the team. He took over as the closer after Herrera was traded to Washington in the middle of the season.
A starter for the first four-plus seasons of his career, Peralta made a full-time transition to the bullpen this year, posing a 3.67 earned run average in 37 appearances. He had a 1.49 WHIP.
After signing with the Royals last December, Peralta spent the initial two-plus months of the season with Class AAA Omaha before a June promotion. By the end of the month, he had assumed the closer’s role. His final 35 appearances came in the eighth or ninth inning.
Karns, 30, missed the entire 2018 season with shoulder and elbow injuries and then underwent thoracic outlet surgery in July. He was 2-2 with a 4.17 ERA in 2017.
Sam McDowell
Sam McDowell covers Sporting Kansas City, the Royals, Chiefs and sports enterprise for The Star
This story was originally published October 31, 2018 at 1:06 PM.