Former Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel resurfaces with Royals

Dallas Keuchel is getting another shot. 

After bouncing around baseball for much of the past half-decade, the veteran southpaw signed a minor league deal with the Royals on Wednesday. 

Keuchel will start at Triple-A Omaha and earn a prorated $2 million if he reaches the majors this season, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. 

The deal marks Keuchel’s return to professional baseball after being released by the Brewers in June of last season. 

Keuchel was once one of the best pitchers in baseball, winning the 2015 American League Cy Young and making two All-Star teams during his first seven big league seasons with the Astros. 

It’s been downhill for Keuchel since leaving Houston after the 2018 season. 

In 90 outings (84 starts) since 2019, Keuchel has a 5.03 ERA while striking out just 6.14 batters per nine innings and walking 3.42 per nine. 

Over that stretch, Keuchel has pitched for six different franchises, including the Braves, White Sox, Diamondbacks, Rangers, Twins and Brewers. 

During a brief stint in Milwaukee last year, Keuchel had a 5.40 ERA over 16 ⅔ innings pitched. 

He’ll join fellow veteran left-hander Rich Hill, 45, who, like Keuchel, signed a minor league deal with the Royals in May in hopes of getting back to the majors. 

After making the postseason in 2024, the Royals have disappointed this year, sitting at 45-48 heading into Wednesday’s play. 

Kansas City has been without its ace Cole Ragans since mid-June after he suffered a left rotator cuff strain, leaving a gaping hole at the top of their rotation.