KCRoyals.com is reporting that one week after signing 15-game winner Jason Hammel, who pitched with the Cubs in 2016, Royals GM Dayton Moore went out and signed lefty Travis Wood to the exact same two-year $12 million deal. The club has not made an official announcement pending a physical. The first official workout for pitchers and catchers is set for Tuesday, so expect Wood to be on the field.
Wood will battle with right hander Nathan Karns, who came over from Seattle in the trade for Jarrod Dyson.
Wood was a starter in his first three seasons with the Cubs, then switched to the bullpen when the Cubs won 97 games in 2015 and 103 in 2016, which culminated in the franchise’s first World Series. Wood was used as a long reliever in 2015 and became more of a situational pitcher in 2016.
In 2014, Wood’s last as a starter, he went 8-13 with a 5.03 ERA for a team that went 73-89. Wood started his career with Cincinnati where he was mostly as starter from 2010-2011.
The Royals did confirm Monday they have signed for Cardinals right-hander Seth Maness to a Minor League deal with an invite to Spring Training.