Royals Add Former Cy Young Winner Before All-Star Break originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
As the Kansas City Royals tread water and eye a playoff spot, they turn to an accomplished pitcher for help.
The Royals signed longtime Houston Astros pitcher and 2015 AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel to a minor-league contract on Wednesday. Keuchel, 37, has not pitched for an MLB organization since the Milwaukee Brewers cut him last July.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Keuchel will start at Triple-A Omaha and’ll make $2 million prorated if he makes the big leagues.
When we last saw Keuchel in the majors, he allowed 10 runs and walked eight in 16 2/3 innings for the Brewers. He’s posted a 6.24 ERA and -2.6 bWAR across 277 innings for five teams since the start of 2021.
Keuchel ended 2024 in Japan, recording a 3.60 ERA over 40 innings for the Chiba Lotte Marines. Passan shared that Keuchel threw 92 mph at a workout last week.
This could very well be Keuchel’s last chance, and the Royals desperately need him to rewind the clock. Keuchel once ranked among the American League’s top pitchers, posting 17.6 bWAR and a 3.28 ERA for the Astros from 2014-18. He earned two All-Star nods and won four Gold Gloves in that time, helping turn the Astros into a perennial title contender.
Keuchel led the Astros to a championship in 2017, tallying a 3.58 ERA and a 32-8 K-BB ratio in 27 2/3 postseason innings.
Kansas City entered Wednesday at 45-48, four games behind the Seattle Mariners for the AL’s third and final Wild Card spot.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.