Zack Greinke returned to where it all began this past offseason after the conclusion of the lockout, signing a one-year deal with the Kansas City Royals.
The veteran right-hander is a free agent once again.
Greinke went 4-9 in 26 starts and posted a 3.68 ERA.
The right-hander is a six-time All-Star, a six-time Gold Glove Award winner, a two-time Silver Slugger, and a former Cy Young Award winner.
Though nearing the age of 40, Greinke still remains one of the most durable starting pitchers in all of baseball.
Fortunately for him, the Royals appear to be interested in bringing back their ace, and according to Jon Heyman, the interest is mutual.
The Case For Retaining Greinke
While the Royals have plenty of work to do entering the 2022-2023 offseason, having Greinke back gives them a veteran voice in the clubhouse and somebody to help guide their younger core of players.
If he were to stay, Kansas City would have a solid one-two punch at the top of their rotation with him and right-hander Brady Singer.
Kansas City finished in fourth place with a 67-95 record during the regular season, falling short of the postseason for the seventh straight year.
They fired both manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Cal Eldred at the end of the season.
But with Greinke around, they still can benefit from veteran leadership as they attempt to build for the future.
The Royals were 27th in all of baseball and at the bottom of the American League in team ERA, posting a 4.70 mark.
More must-reads: