The Royals have requested unconditional release waivers on infielder Yuniesky Betancourt, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter).
The move comes nine days after the Royals designated Betancourt for assignment, meaning they were unable to trade him. If no team claims Betancourt while he's on release waivers, he'll receive his unconditional release.
Betancourt, 30, has posted a career line of .266/.290/.392 with 67 homers in 3,869 plate appearances. The eight-year veteran has played with the Mariners, Brewers and Royals (two stints).
Betancourt may have some pop, but with his OBP being so low and his fielding being below average, he just isn’t worth the two million dollar salary for any team. Any organization can find a player like Betancourt in their farm system and pay him the league minimum. If Betancourt wants to get back into the Majors, he’s probably gonna have to sign a Minor League Deal elsewhere.
Woo hoo!
Usually when a player with negative value is released, I joke that the Royals are probably first in line to sign him. I’m not really sure what to say here.
they probably still are somehow
About 5 months too late.
No mo’ Yuni form? never saw him that much but looked like found gold for Seattle early on. Other than a couple clutch moments, el dudo just seemed like he didnt care much, mentally or physically. what a waste. then again he’s a miilionaire at age 30, so why should he care that much?!?!
Other players are also rich at 30 or before that – and they care because they love the game. Strictly speaking it’s not a requirement but it’s still not too much to hope for.
Yuni, you like San Diego? Some guy on my softball team has to take the rest of the season off, you can start at whatever position you want! 250 foot fences you can hit bombs every at bat!
I wanted him in my adult league! at least we play real baseball haha
Yuni has had one interesting career and, of course, the Royals played the fool. My guess is that Yuni never gets another MLB at bat.
starting shortstop on the all-time worst players to start 1000 MLB games team?
Yuni wasn’t entirely terrible last year in Milwaukee… maybe they’d pick him up again to warm the bench/play garbage time. It appears Segura is getting a good look, so there’d really be no point to that move. (Kind of like this comment.)
Now batting for the Newark Bears, number nine, Yuniesky Betancourt.
Number nine.
One of the better things to happen to Major League Baseball this season.
Oddly, Yuniesky has been better offensively that Clint Barmes.
Pirates please? League minimum for an offensive upgrade from Barmes without needing to sacrifice anything defensively?
Dude, Yuni is a sacrifice defensively.