Chris Getz, the former KC Royals infielder who became general manager of the White Sox late last season, hasn’t been shy about bringing former Kansas City players and personnel to the South Side. He’s added even more ex-Royals to his organization since we first wrote about the infusions in December.
And he’s once again supplemented that growing Royal influence. Mike Moustakas, the ever-popular former KC third baseman who’s played for the Brewers, Reds, Rockies and Angels since the 2018 trade deadline swap that took him to Milwaukee, just signed a minor league deal with the Sox. The move comes, not surprisingly, with an invitation to spring training.
“Moose” hit .247 with 12 homers in 112 games split between Colorado and the Angels last season, and in parts of eight years in Kansas City clubbed 139 homers, slashed .251/.306/.430, landed two of his three career All-Star berths, and was a vital member of the 2015 World Series title team.
Moustakas isn’t the only former Royal who’s found new work recently.
San Francisco is welcoming a pair of ex-Kansas City players
It’s been a bit over a week since San Francisco lost former Royal Jakob Junis to Milwaukee via free agency, but the Giants are now adding two former KC players — a slugger and a pitcher — to their organization.
First to head for the Bay Area was reliever Amir Garrett, who the Royals let go last July. Garrett just signed a minor league pact with the Giants. The southpaw reliever spent 2022 and half of 2023 with Kansas City and went 3-2 with a 4.39 ERA in 87 appearances.
After generating several Hot Stove rumors throughout the winter, Jorge Soler is reportedly joining San Francisco for three years and $42 million. Soler shares the Royals’ single-season home run record of 48 with Salvador Perez; 80 of his career 170 homers came during his four-plus seasons in Kansas City.
The nomadic offseason journey of Bubba Thompson continues
Turn Bubba Thompson’s baseball clock back to last August, when the Rangers designated him for assignment and Kansas City grabbed him on a waiver claim. The Royals assigned him to Triple-A Omaha, but he ended up with Cincinnati after KC put him on waivers in October.
He didn’t last long with the Reds, however — they designated him for assignment just before the calendar year ended, and the Yankees claimed him four days into 2024.
But Thompson never got to don the famous Yankee pinstripes. The Yanks DFA’d him not long after putting in their claim, and waivers took him to Minnesota.
Now, he’s back with Cincinnati: the Reds picked him up on yet another waiver claim earlier this week.
Is Whit Merrifield about to make a new deal with someone?
Merrifield, best known for his unique versatility, has been a free agent all winter, but it seems he may be close to settling on a new home. According to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, several teams are courting Merrifield and he’s expected to choose his third major league club before Monday.
Merrifield, who played six different positions and also DH’d during a Kansas City career that began in 2016 and ended with his midsummer trade to Toronto in 2022, is a career .284 hitter who’s stolen 201 bases and made three American League All-Star teams.
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