KANSAS CITY -- Just a few days after general manager Dayton Moore said the Royals "had interest" in re-signing designated hitter Kendrys Morales, Morales reportedly has a deal with the Blue Jays.
Several outlets have confirmed that pending a physical, Morales has a three-year, $33 million contract with the Blue Jays.
Moore will not comment on deals until they become official.
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But on Tuesday, Moore said of Morales, "Kendrys was crucial for us. A switch-hitter. His leadership. He's a highly productive player. We'll definitely have some ground to make up there if he's no longer with us."
But Moore then spoke of a backup plan, using third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert at DH as part of a "floating DH" to give other players such as catcher Salvador Perez and center fielder Lorenzo Cain essentially half-day offs.

"You remember once Billy Butler departed to Oakland [after 2014], our goal was to kind of float that DH and utilize it as a way to provide some rest for our players," Moore said.
That approach makes sense from another angle: Cuthbert is out of options and his spot on the 25-man roster next year would be tenuous because Mike Moustakas will return at third base and Cuthbert does not possess much defensive versatility.
The Royals' interest in re-signing Morales was going to be limited by financial constraints -- Moore has indicated the club will need to contain spending this offseason. It's also highly likely the Royals were not going to offer a three-year deal.
It remains possible the Royals still could seek a veteran full-time DH on a more club-friendly deal -- a one- or two-year contract in the $8-10 million per year range. That could include Mike Napoli or Carlos Beltrán.
Morales was a key offensive figure for the Royals after signing a two-year deal prior to 2015. He hit 52 home runs over the last two seasons with a combined .820 OPS.