The Kansas City Royals quietly made some very interesting moves this offseason to strengthen their pitching staff.
They added veterans Ryan Yarbrough and Jordan Lyles to their mix of starting pitchers.
But their most impactful move of them all was the signing of Zack Greinke.
The veteran right-hander made his return to the Royals last offseason after stops with the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Houston Astros.
He went 4-9 with a 3.68 ERA in 26 starts during the 2022 season.
On Twitter, MLB posted a brief clip of the 39-year-old warming up on the mound at the Royals spring training facility, and hyped fans up for the 20th season of his career.
Welcome to year 20 of the Zack Greinke experience. pic.twitter.com/iIwMtn0tB5
— MLB (@MLB) February 22, 2023
Greinke has certainly been around for a while.
He came up with the Royals in 2004 and immediately became the team’s ace.
Over the course of his legendary career, the right-hander has won a Cy Young, two ERA titles, six Gold Gloves, and two Silver Slugger Awards and has been an All-Star six times.
He’s also a proven postseason performer, having helped guide the Astros to the World Series in 2019 and again in 2021.
Needless to say, it’s been a successful ride for the right-hander.
But as crazy as it sounds, this will be his 20th season in Major League Baseball.
The 39-year-old is a well-traveled veteran, but is also a fan favorite in Kansas City, and he’ll look to have another successful season and help lead the Royals back into contention for the first time since 2017.
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