Kansas City Royals sign relief pitcher Colten Brewer on minor-league deal
The Kansas City Royals added another experienced low-risk pitching option to a bullpen that will be counted on to support a starting rotation expected to feature a lot of youth.
Right-hander Colten Brewer, who spent the last three seasons with the Boston Red Sox, signed a minor-league deal with the Royals on Monday.
A fourth-round draft pick by the San Diego Padres in 2011, he made his major-league debut in 2018 with the Padres.
Brewer, 29, has made 81 appearances in the majors with a 5.04 ERA and a 2-5 record. The Red Sox sent him outright to their Triple-A affiliate in June to make room on their 40-man roster.
He made four starts for the Red Sox during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and did not pitch more than four innings in any of those starts. He also made seven relief appearances that season.
In 2019, he made 58 appearances (all in relief) and registered a 4.12 ERA with a 1.70 WHIP and 8.6 strikeouts per 9 innings in 54 2/3 innings for the Red Sox.
Brewer features a cutter that has averaged just shy of 94 mph, and he has produced a ground ball rate of 50.4 percent during his time in the majors.
Brewer is the second relief pitcher the Royals have added this month, following the signing of Arodys Vizcaino on Jan. 12. While major-league transactions remain frozen during the lockout, teams can sign players to minor-league deals.
The Royals also added Taylor Clarke on a major-league deal in December prior to the lockout.
As it stands now, the Royals bullpen will be anchored by right-hander Scott Barlow, the team’s 2021 pitcher of the year, as well as right-hander Josh Staumont and left-hander Jake Brentz.
Barlow led the team with 16 saves last season. Brentz led the team with 72 appearances. Staumont, one of the hardest throwers in the majors in recent years, recorded a WHIP of 1.07 and registered 9.9 strikeouts per 9 innings last season.
Following last season, veteran relief pitcher Wade Davis announced his retirement. The Royals released former top draft pick Kyle Zimmer. Greg Holland, Jesse Hahn, Jakob Junis and Ervin Santana, who were part of the bullpen this past season, also remain free agents.
This story was originally published January 24, 2022 at 3:07 PM.
