Royals get reliever Wood back on waivers
Right-hander returns after parts of two seasons with Cleveland, assigned to Omaha
ST. LOUIS -- Right-handed pitcher Blake Wood, originally selected by the Royals in the third round of the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, has returned to the organization.
Wood, 28, was claimed off waivers from the Cleveland Indians and assigned to Triple-A Omaha, the Royals announced Monday. To make room on the 40-man roster, pitcher Luke Hochevar was placed on the 60-day disabled list. Hochevar is out for the season after elbow surgery.
Wood pitched in 106 games for the Royals in the 2010-11 seasons with a combined record of 6-6, one save and a 4.30 ERA.
"He came up and, at times, pitched really well," manager Ned Yost said. "He had a good, heavy two-seamer, really good action. Not a very good secondary pitch, not very good at holding runners but had a power arm."
But in 2012, he underwent Tommy John surgery, the same year that Joakim Soria, Danny Duffy and Felipe Paulino also had the elbow procedure.
"He had the Tommy John and now he's got his power arm back. It's just getting back to refining his command to where he can be productive with his power arm," Yost said.
"He came back last spring with Cleveland and looked good. He looked even better this spring when we saw him."