KC signs veteran RHP Rosenthal to Minors deal

KANSAS CITY -- The Royals have become known for hitting on reclamation projects, from Chris Young and Ryan Madson during their recent World Series years to, most recently, Homer Bailey.

The Royals are taking a shot at another one: The club announced that it has signed right-hander Trevor Rosenthal to a Minor League deal with a Spring Training invite. The deal, a source told MLB.com, has a base salary of $2 million plus $2.25 million in performance bonuses.

Rosenthal, 29, will be reunited with new Royals manager Mike Matheny, who was Rosenthal’s manager for six seasons in St. Louis.

Rosenthal was once one of the game’s dominant closers, posting 93 saves in 2014-15 under Matheny.

Tommy John surgery kept Rosenthal out of baseball in 2018. He signed a one-year $7 million deal with the Nationals prior to last season, but he had a 22.74 ERA in 12 appearances and was released on June 23.

Rosenthal was signed as a free agent with the Tigers a week later, and he had a 7.00 ERA in 10 outings before being designated for assignment. In August, Rosenthal signed a Minor League deal with the Yankees, but he made just one appearance at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre before his season was shut down.

When a player's contract is designated for assignment -- often abbreviated "DFA" -- that player is immediately removed from his club's 40-man roster, and 25-man roster if he was on that as well. Within seven days of the transaction (it was previously 10 days), the player must either be traded, released or placed on irrevocable outright waivers.