Headlines

  • Giants Sign Gary Sanchez To Minor League Deal
  • Padres Sign Jake Cronenworth To Seven-Year Extension
  • Brewers To Promote Joey Wiemer
  • Mariners Acquire Nick Solak From Reds
  • Mets Place Justin Verlander On Injured List
  • Still No Agreement Between Pirates And Bryan Reynolds Due To Opt-Out Clause
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Royals Sign Jake Brentz To Two-Year Deal

By Anthony Franco | March 16, 2023 at 6:44pm CDT

The Royals announced Thursday evening they’ve signed lefty reliever Jake Brentz to a two-year contract. It’s a big league deal that reportedly guarantees $1.9MM with an additional $700K in attainable incentives. Brentz, a client of the Bledsoe Agency, will make $850K for the upcoming season and $1.05MM in 2024.

Kansas City created a 40-man roster spot yesterday by placing southpaw Ángel Zerpa on the 60-day injured list. They’ll likely soon do the same with Brentz. The 28-year-old underwent surgery to repair the UCL in his throwing elbow last July. He’ll miss most or all of this season but the Royals are clearly intrigued by the potential he brings for the 2024 campaign.

There’s no injured list over the offseason, so the Royals had to reinstate Brentz at the end of the ’22 season. Rather than carry him on the 40-man roster all winter, they designated him for assignment and opted not to tender him a contract. He lingered on the open market all winter but now returns to Kansas City. With Spring Training underway, the Royals can transfer him back to the 60-day IL whenever the need for a roster spot arises.

Initially an 11th-round draftee of the Blue Jays, Brentz was traded twice as a prospect. It wasn’t until following a 2019 release by the Pirates and subsequent signing with Kansas City that he got a big league opportunity, however. Brentz cracked the roster in 2021 and showed some promise as a rookie. He tossed 64 innings over 72 appearances, working to a 3.66 ERA while striking out an above-average 27.3% of opposing hitters. His 13.3% walk percentage was an obvious concern but the Missouri native averaged 96.9 MPH on his fastball and held left-handed batters to a woeful .116/.292/.203 line in 91 plate appearances.

Brentz entered 2022 as a fairly high-upside member of the K.C. relief corps. The season proved disastrous, though. He coughed up 15 runs and walked 10 in only 5 1/3 innings in April. His fastball velocity was down a tick. At the end of the month, Kansas City placed him on the injured list with a flexor injury in his forearm. A few months later, the club announced he’d go under the knife.

Kansas City’s front office is obviously willing to chalk up that disastrous first month to injury. They’ll roll the dice for little more than the league minimum to see if Brentz can return to his 2021 form after the surgery rehab. It’s equally easy to see the appeal of this deal from the player’s perspective. He’ll secure a guaranteed salary and a 40-man roster spot while collecting major league service for time spent on the injured list. He’ll get to rehab for an organization with which he’s familiar and try to again secure a bullpen job down the line.

Brentz has exactly two years of major league service time. He’ll still be eligible for arbitration twice more once this contract runs out, meaning Kansas City again controls his rights through the end of the 2026 campaign. If he can get back on track, he could again profile as an affordable bullpen piece for multiple seasons.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported the $1.9MM guarantee and incentives. Anne Rogers of MLB.com was first with the financial breakdown.

Share 0 Retweet 7 Send via email0

Kansas City Royals Transactions Jake Brentz

Latest On The Red Sox’ Rotation
Main
Matt Harvey Hoping To Sign With MLB Club
View Comments (24)

Comments

  1. Buuba ho tep

    2 weeks ago

    WOW

    Reply
  2. deGrom Texas Ranger

    2 weeks ago

    A WHIP of almost 4 is quite impressive. He only needed 30 or so consecutive scoreless innings last year to normalize that ERA. Maybe, he will find the fountain of youth and pull a Verlander.

    Reply
    • Didlz

      2 weeks ago

      In 5 and a third innings. 9 strike outs is a lot too.

      Reply
    • DonOsbourne

      2 weeks ago

      He did manage to throw two wild pitches and hit a guy. There was also an unearned run in there. Based on the way everything else went for him, I’m guessing he committed the error that led to it.

      Reply
    • Buuba ho tep

      2 weeks ago

      WOW

      Reply
  3. Jm207* 2

    2 weeks ago

    How did this guy get a major league deal? Let alone a multi year pact.

    Reply
    • Didlz

      2 weeks ago

      Because he is a good pitcher and because he’s not even arb eligible yet and this will cost them next to nothing.

      Reply
      • Jm207* 2

        2 weeks ago

        What makes you think he is a good pitcher?

        Reply
        • manilavanilla66

          2 weeks ago

          Because he’s Jake Brentz?

        • GareBear

          2 weeks ago

          Because he showed flashes of talent as a hard throwing lefty killer. Outside of his disastrous injury marred season he has been pretty solid with the Royals, and I imagine they are banking that a healthy Brentz is closer to that guy than what we saw last year

  4. lucas0622

    2 weeks ago

    Really banking on an improvement from his *check notes* ERA in the 20s

    Reply
    • manilavanilla66

      2 weeks ago

      something in the tens would be good.

      Reply
  5. retired/advisory role

    2 weeks ago

    0-3 23.63 ERA. Legendary. Only the lowly Royals would ever consider this grounds for an extension.

    Reply
  6. Didlz

    2 weeks ago

    It really is incredible how many of you bozos in the comments are talking about his 5 innings of work last year like it means anything at all lol

    Reply
    • retired/advisory role

      2 weeks ago

      It’s amazing to all of us that you think “5 innings” is all you have to do to get a two year contract. Yes,I’m speaking for all of us on here.

      Reply
      • Didlz

        2 weeks ago

        Hey dingus I LITERALLY JUST SAID it means nothing.

        Reply
        • retired/advisory role

          2 weeks ago

          Your face means nothing.

    • deGrom Texas Ranger

      2 weeks ago

      Let me point out to you that he hasn’t had a single good minor league season either. He had a good MLB season, followed by a tragic meltdown of epic proportions. It’s probably the highest ERA ever for someone with 5 and 1/3 innings or more.

      Reply
      • Didlz

        2 weeks ago

        It definitely isn’t and also would ya stop acting like 5 innings means anything

        Reply
        • deGrom Texas Ranger

          2 weeks ago

          I will not. Also, who has a higher ERa in that many innings? You are the one using playground insults here. Get over it. Some people don’t like this guy. You can, but don’t be rude about it.

  7. baseballteam

    2 weeks ago

    Brentz is shouting “let’s go!” In the photo.

    Reply
  8. DarkSide830

    2 weeks ago

    Great deal. No risk, potentially high rewerd. I mean, obviously hard to know if last year was a blip or not yet, but for less than $1 million per year? Might as well check.

    Reply
  9. gregorykc

    2 weeks ago

    The Royals are honestly hard to watch. Just a bad bad organization.

    Reply
  10. gregorykc

    2 weeks ago

    Royals are not trying

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Giants Sign Gary Sanchez To Minor League Deal

    Padres Sign Jake Cronenworth To Seven-Year Extension

    Brewers To Promote Joey Wiemer

    Mariners Acquire Nick Solak From Reds

    Mets Place Justin Verlander On Injured List

    Still No Agreement Between Pirates And Bryan Reynolds Due To Opt-Out Clause

    MLB, MLBPA Reach Tentative Agreement On Minor League CBA

    Cubs Sign Nico Hoerner To Three-Year Extension

    Guardians, Andrés Giménez Finalizing Seven-Year, $106.5MM Extension

    Guardians, Trevor Stephan Agree To Four-Year Extension

    Boone: Yankees Working On “Potential Deal” To Add Pitcher

    Braves To Extend Orlando Arcia

    Athletics Trade Cristian Pache To Phillies

    Pirates, Bryan Reynolds Continue To Discuss Extension; Start Of Regular Season Reportedly Seen As Deadline

    Daniel Murphy Signs With Long Island Ducks

    Brewers Sign Luke Voit To One-Year Deal

    Guardians Discussing Extensions With Multiple Players

    Cristian Pache Will Not Make Athletics’ Roster; A’s Exploring Trade Scenarios

    Triston McKenzie Shut Down For At Least Two Weeks With Teres Major Strain

    Yankees To Select Anthony Volpe’s Contract

    Recent

    Braves To Place Max Fried On Injured List

    Giants Select Bryce Johnson, Option Brett Wisely

    Giants Sign Gary Sanchez To Minor League Deal

    Padres Sign Jake Cronenworth To Seven-Year Extension

    MLBTR Chat Transcript

    Yankees Designate Estevan Florial For Assignment

    Nationals Sign Kevin Plawecki To Minor League Deal

    Luis Urias Out 6-8 Weeks With Hamstring Injury

    2022-23 Offseason In Review Series

    Braves Notes: Rotation, Soroka, Shewmake, Grissom

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Offseason Outlook Series
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2023
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • MLB Player Chats
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version