Fresh off of their World Series triumph, the Royals will open their offseason by bidding adieu to outfielder Alex Rios and righty Jeremy Guthrie. The players officially became free agents today, per an MLBPA press release.
As had been expected, Kansas City declined its mutual options over both, Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Start tweets. Rios’s option was valued at $12.5MM, with a $1.5MM buyout, while Guthrie will receive a $3.2MM buyout on a $10MM option.
Rios, 34, had a down year after joining the Royals last winter as a free agent. He slashed just .255/.287/.353 in 411 plate appearances, swiping nine bases and contributing four home runs.
Guthrie, on the other hand, came to the Royals via trade and then re-signed before the 2013 season. His deal was restructured last January to defer some of his 2014 salary back to the end of the end of the deal, with the mutual option and buyout accomplishing the task. The 36-year-old struggled to a 5.95 ERA in 148 1/3 innings this year, allowing a league-high 29 home runs in the process. That performance eliminated any possibility that the mutual option would be exercised.
It seems the buyout numbers are getting out of hand. Guthrie is worth 3.2 for a season worth of work not to have him not play.
Truth be told all contracts in the MLB are out of control.
Case in point Max Scherzer, he is going to be paid until Lerner is a 103 years old.
Guthrie’s is a little different situation. The buyout was originally part of his deal, but he agreed to restructure it to the option year to give the Royals more current salary to spend a couple years ago. Very cool of him.
This is correct. $3MM of his 2014 salary got pushed back and became the buyout. He got an extra $200K for his trouble.
Out of control relative to what? The owners are making money left and right with these tv deals. I’m glad to see the players getting their piece of it. Granted, the league needs more revenue parity, but the total amount isn’t problematic.
Well, with Rios, who is going to pay almost 13 million for a .255 Batting Average and an On Base % of .287. Although Rios did help in the playoffs especially the ALCS, World Series not so much.
As for Guts, well he was an expensive piece that did not help all that much in 2015.
Yeah, he looked so good early in the year……he broke his hand and wasn’t ever the same. He won’t have many suitors.
J Guts was a big part of the Royal’s turnaround. One of Dayton’s best trades (he got him for Johnathan Sanchez). Too bad he broke down so quickly.
Think Guthrie is a really worthwhile guy to bring in for a pitching needy team for back end starters, something he’s always been and always a favorite of mine. The mid 90’s power sinker may be gone, but he’s still got one of the better sinking fastballs around, wouldn’t shock me if found out he had some minor injury this last season to put up such awful numbers.
Marlins, Cubs, Reds.. Several teams he could latch on with, though not at close to what he previously earned.
As a White Sox fan, I’m glad to see Jeremy Guthrie off the Royals. He’s posted some of his best career stats against the White Sox. Here’s hoping he signs with a N.L. team next! (lol)
Guthrie will land a $3-5M deal to be a 4th or 5th starter for a bad team……or he will take a Chris Young incentive type deal.