MLB Hot Stove Signings: Royals, Travis Wood reportedly agree to two-year deal
Wood is expected to compete for a spot in Kansas City's rotation
Spring Training is right around the corner and the Kansas City Royals are continuing to add pitching depth.
Free agent left-hander Travis Wood has reportedly agreed to a two-year contract with the Royals, and will be given a chance to win a spot in their rotation. The team has not yet confirmed the deal.
Wood gets $12M for the 2 yrs in royals deal
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) February 13, 2017
Travis Wood is expected to compete for a spot in #royals starting rotation, according to source.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) February 13, 2017
The Royals signed Jason Hammel, Wood's former teammate with the Cubs, to a two-year contract last week. Right-hander Nathan Karns came over in a trade with the Mariners earlier this offseason as well, so that's three potential starters general manager Dayton Moore has added to the roster.
Of course, the Royals lost young Yordano Ventura this offseason when he was tragically killed in a car crash in the Dominican Republic. Moore has had to scramble to fill his rotation these last few weeks while mourning Ventura. It was a very difficult situation.
At the moment, Kansas City's rotation depth chart looks something like this year:
- Danny Duffy
- Ian Kennedy
- Jason Hammel
- Jason Vargas (coming back from Tommy John surgery)
- Nathan Karns
- Travis Wood
- Chris Young
- Matt Strahm
- Mike Minor (coming back from shoulder surgery)

Strahm, like Wood, was very effective out of the bullpen last season, and most expect the 25-year-old southpaw to get a long look as a possible starter this spring. That could still happen, obviously, though the recent additions of Hammel and Wood mean Strahm faces stiff competition.
Wood, 30, spent the entire 2016 season working out of the bullpen for the World Series champion Cubs. He had a 2.95 ERA (137 ERA+) with 47 strikeouts in 61 innings in 2016. Wood's last full season as a starter was back in 2014, when he had a 5.03 ERA (75 ERA+) in 31 starts and 173 2/3 innings.
















