The Kansas City Royals announced that the club has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with infielder Chris Getz, outfielder Mitch Maier and pitcher Luke Hochevar for the 2012 season, avoiding arbitration. The Royals now have three remaining arbitration-eligible players: Felipe Paulino and Jonathan Sanchez; and outfielder Alex Gordon.
The 28-year-old Getz batted .255 (97-for-380) with six doubles, 26 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 118 games for the Royals in 2011. He was acquired by Kansas City in a trade with the Chicago White Sox on November 6, 2009.
Maier, 29, hit .232 with four doubles, three triples, seven RBI and 19 runs scored in 45 games last season as the Royals fourth outfielder. Selected by the Royals in the first round (30th overall) of the 2003 Draft, Maier is a career .253 hitter in 327 games. Beginning his 10th season in the organization, he is the longest-tenured Royals player on the club’s 40-man roster.
The 28-year-old Hochevar compiled an 11-11 record with a 4.68 ERA in 31 starts in 2011. He set career bests in wins, starts, innings (198.0), strikeouts (128) and quality starts (16). The Royals Opening Day starter last season was 6-3 with a 3.52 ERA in 12 starts following the All-Star break, holding opponents to a .222 average which ranked sixth in the American League among starters.
