On January 30, it was reported that the Kansas City Royals had agreed to a one-year deal with veteran MLB starter Zack Greinke.
He signed his agreement four days later, and gives the Royals a solid innings eater with a relatively high floor and someone to mentor their young pitchers.
MLB insider Jon Heyman published some more details of his deal and one notable inclusion: a no-trade clause.
“Zack Greinke gets full no trade on Royals deal. Here’s the rest: $8.5M guarantee. Plus: $450,000 each for 90ip; 95ip; 100ip; 105ip; 110ip; 115ip; 120ip; 125ip; 130ip; 135ip. $300,000 each for 140ip; 145ip; 150ip; 155ip; 160ip; 165ip; 170ip; 175ip; 180ip; 185ip,” he tweeted.
Zack Greinke gets full no trade on Royals deal. Here’s the rest:
$8.5M guarantee
Plus:
$450,000 each for 90ip; 95ip; 100ip; 105ip; 110ip; 115ip; 120ip; 125ip; 130ip; 135ip$300,000 each for 140ip; 145ip; 150ip; 155ip; 160ip; 165ip; 170ip; 175ip; 180ip; 185ip
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 6, 2023
Greinke’s base salary will be $8.5 million, which is not bad for a 39-year-old pitcher nearing his retirement.
However, he will have a chance to make an additional $7.5 million in incentives, all tied to the number of innings he pitches.
If he surpasses 185 frames, he will be making around $16 million.
The last time he pitched that many innings was in 2018.
He was at 137 last year and at 171 in 2021, so he still has a chance to score some nice bonuses provided he stays healthy.
Despite his advanced age and diminishing fastball velocity, Greinke’s ability to place the ball where he wants to gives him impeccable command and a foundation to succeed while limiting hard contact.
He had a solid 3.68 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP, although his 73 strikeouts weren’t particularly impressive.
Still, the Royals aren’t paying him to pitch like a 100-mph fireballer.
Greinke will try to remain a steady rotation stabilizer and help some of the Royals’ young arms such as Brady Singer, Daniel Lynch, Jackson Kowar, Kris Bubic and Carlos Hernandez find some consistency.
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