Former Cy Young winner undecided about future
Zack Greinke pitched the worst season of his long career in 2023 by nearly any statistical measure. Having just turned 40-years-old in October, it would be easy to understand if Greinke elects to call it a career. There is little he has yet to accomplish in his career outside of winning a World Series title.
Kansas City Royals general manager J.J. Picollo told MLB.com's Jon Morosi that Greinke is still undecided on his future.
Originally drafted sixth overall by the Royals in 2002, Greinke was a key fixture in the Royals rotation from 2004-10. He threw more than 1,100 innings over that period, posting a 3.82 ERA with a 1.264 WHIP. Greinke won the AL Cy Young Award in 2009, going 16-8 with a 2.16 ERA and 1.073 WHIP, both of which lead the league.
He'd go on to pitch for the Brewers, Angels, Dodgers, Diamondbacks and Astros before returning to Kansas City for the 2022 season as a free agent.
The results the last two seasons have not been good. Greinke's velocity is down, and while he was never a big strikeout guy, the swing-and-miss stuff just isn't there anymore. The downturn isn't all on Greinke, though, as he hasn't gotten a ton of run support in his return to Kansas City.
Greinke reportedly turned down more lucrative opportunities to return to the Royals for the 2022 season on a one-year deal. It's unclear if there was interest last offseason before he re-signed with Kansas City. One has to think that if he does elect to play again, he'd likely prefer to remain where he's most comfortable.
Greinke has put together a stellar resume that includes six All-Star Game appearances, six Gold Glove Awards, a Cy Young Award, a 3.49 career ERA and 225 wins. Greinke could come back to make a push for 3,000 career strikeouts, he's just 21 shy, but it's unclear if that milestone is one that'll make a difference in his decision.
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