Royals Request Release Waivers On Luis Mendoza

The Royals have requested release waivers on right-hander Luis Mendoza, the team announced.  Mendoza, 30, intends to pitch in Japan next season.

Mendoza was acquired by Kansas City before the 2010 season and posted a 4.72 ERA, 1.51 K/BB ratio and a 5.4 K/9 in 58 games (42 of them starts) in his tenure as a Royal.  Never a big strikeout pitcher in either the majors or minors, Mendoza has a 50.5% ground ball rate over his 1111 career Major League innings with K.C. and Texas.  The righty threw two no-hitters over his minor league career.

Mendoza was arbitration eligible for the first time this winter.  MLBTR's Matt Swartz projected Mendoza to earn $1MM in 2014 and Tim Dierkes considered the right-hander to be a possible non-tender candidate.