Royals Reuniting With 3-Year Kansas City Veteran After White Sox Release

The Kansas City Royals' pitching depth has taken a lot of hits this summer, so every method of adding new arms is worthwhile.

The Royals made some noteworthy additions to their pitching staff, particularly the starting rotation, at the trade deadline. They acquired Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek in a deal with the San Diego Padres, and Bailey Falter from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

However, the Royals are still looking for more ways to increase their pitching supply, facilitating a signing on Tuesday.

According to a report from Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors, the Royals have signed Jonathan Heasley, who was released by the Chicago White Sox in March and hasn't pitched since, to a minor-league contract. The 28-year-old pitched in 36 games for the Royals from 2021 to 2023.

In total, Heasley has 139 major league innings under his belt, mostly stemming from his 21 starts in the Royals' rotation in 2022. He has a 5.89 ERA in the majors, mostly with Kansas City, but also including a brief stint for the Baltimore Orioles in 2024.

Though he's never been all that prolific in Triple-A, either, Heasley could wind up being a smart addition for the Royals if they're able to find something new and effective in his arsenal. Kansas City is becoming something of a pitching factory, so it's not totally out of the question.

Once a Royals 13th-round pick in 2018, Heasley now returns to his former organization hoping to breathe some life into a career that looked to be on pause. He'll head to Triple-A Omaha.

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