The Royals became the latest team to strike on the pitching market, adding righty Wily Peralta on a one-year deal, as Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star first reported (Twitter links). Peralta will receive a $1.525MM guarantee, $1.5MM of which will go to his 2018 salary. The remaining $25K is allocated to a buyout for a $3MM option for 2019. It’s also possible for Peralta to tack on another $1.25MM per season in performance incentives.
Peralta was outrighted in early August by the Brewers and then elected free agency at season’s end. That move came on the heels of a miserable 57 1/3-inning run in 2017, over which Peralta surrendered ten home runs and fifty earned runs. His departure brought a close to his six-year MLB run in Milwaukee, over which time he compiled a 4.48 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 with a 51.2% groundball rate.
The 28-year-old remains a somewhat intriguing bounceback option, though, for a variety of reasons. It has been some time since he was an effective starter, but he did spin 198 2/3 frames of 3.53 ERA ball back in 2014. And Peralta still brings the heat: in 2017, he averaged 96.5 mph with his four-seamer, matching a personal high. An optimist would surely point to Peralta’s meager 59.8% strand rate and lofty .362 BABIP in his most recent season.
Peralta figures to represent a swingman option for K.C., which GM Dayton Moore acknowledged in commenting on the signing to MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan (via Twitter). Moore indicates that he likes the idea of seeing how his power arsenal fares in the bullpen, while also noting that the club “will look at him as possible rotation depth as well.”
While the team’s plans aren’t yet fully clear, indications are that the Royals are heading for a rebuilding period. If that’s the case, it’s not hard to imagine Peralta functioning as a low-cost rotation piece — particularly if the club explores trades for high-priced starters Danny Duffy, Ian Kennedy, and Jason Hammel. The latter two, certainly, could only be moved if Kansas City is willing to hang onto some of their remaining obligations.
If, on the other hand, the Royals find themselves in position to bring back free agents Eric Hosmer and/or Mike Moustakas, and decide to hang on to closer Kelvin Herrera, perhaps Peralta could earn his way into the late-inning mix as a setup arm. This move really does not commit the organization in a particular direction, so there’s still quite a bit left to learn about how the Royals’ 2018 roster will shake out.
Yikes! Well, Peralta will fit right in with Kennedy, Hammel, and Karns. Royals could do worse, but by the same token they could do a whole lot better.
Agreed
It’s a $1.5 million dollar deal for a power arm that can either start or be a bullpen guy, on a team likely heading for rebuild. I really don’t see how this is a “Yikes!” moment, I think it’s actually a good move with a chance to be really good if he has success in either the rotation or the bullpen.
“success”, good luck with that
Yea, it’s a real low risk, potential reward scenario.
I wonder if they will try and put him in the bullpen right away instead of having him start again. Maybe if he does well enough they can put him in the rotation halfway through the season.
It’s called depth. Every team needs a swing man/mop up guy and as a rebuilding club they aren’t going to sign Darvish.
Just how many of these “bounceback” candidates really bounce back? Seems like the writers are just putting lipstick on a pig, so to speak
Charlie Morton says “hi.”
Who’s Danny Dufy? Is he the brother of Danny Duffy the guy who pitches for the royals.
Who’s Paul Heyman? Is he the less funny brother of Jon Heyman?
An extremely overrated mouthpiece who has made a living by ripping off those who don’t have much to begin with, and telling more lies than truths.
And then there’s this guy.
He is the client of the reigning defending undisputed universal champion… BROCK… LESNARRRRR!!!!!!!
wrong…..he is the client of the 1 in 21-1, the BEAST……..BRROCK LESNARRRRREE
Padres should have grabbed him. Woulda been nice right behind Ohtani :P
Ya, surprised we didn’t sign him.
Why a brother, if it was the last name misspelled?
After 5+ years as a starting pitcher, his career was is 1.2. His WHIP is indicative as an unsuccessful ground ball pitcher to me. Very unlikely he can make a difference, but he should be a low cost innings eater
If you consider 5 innings a start eating innings.
if he somehow doesn’t melt down by the third
Good bounce back candidate but I’m surprised he got an MLB deal
What’s the combined 2018 annual salaries of all the players signed so far this offseason? Has it broken $20M?
Very surprised he got a major league deal.
As a Brewer fan I just had to cringe when Wily took the mound this year. It was hard watching give up one rocket after another. I’m not surprised he got a major leaguer deal. I’m absolutely stunned.
I know. Sent to the minors two years in a row and somehow got a major league contract. Jeffress didn’t even get guaranteed money!
Royals got themselves a wily veteran in Peralta.
Ba dum tsssss
He’s all yours lol
Wily struggles to command his pitches and leaves far too many in the middle of the plate. which hitters feasted on. Brewers gave him opportunity after opportunity because his of his arm and frankly because he’s a great guy. I don’t think there’s much chance he regains his 2014 form but I’m sure all Brewer fans wish him well.
This is such a typical Royals signing.
I feel this is the kind of move the Orioles would make. But maybe it’s not so uncharacteristic of the Royals as well.
Good depth signing for that price.