KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Outfielder Lane Thomas and the Kansas City Royals finalized a $5.25 million, one-year contract on Wednesday.
Thomas can earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses.
He had nine RBIs for Cleveland in the 2024 AL Division Series against Detroit but hit .160 with four homers and 11 RBIs in 125 at-bats over 39 games this year in an injury-decimated season with Cleveland. He batted .268 for Washington in 2023, when he set career bests with 28 homers, 86 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.
Thomas didn’t play between April 8 and 15 this year because of a bone bruise in his right wrist sustained when and . He was out .
He played his last big league game of the season on July 4, then was , though he did appear in three Double-A games from Sept. 2-5 as part of an injury rehabilitation assignment. He has surgery on Sept. 23.
A year earlier, he hit a tiebreaking grand slam off Detroit ace Tarik Skubal in Game 5 on an AL Wild Card Series.
Thomas had a $7,825,000 salary in a one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. He became a free agent last month.
Now 30, Thomas has a .242 average with 76 homers and 254 RBIs in seven seasons with St. Louis (2019-21), Washington (2021-24) and the Guardians, who for infielder José Tena, left-hander Alex Clemmey and infielder Rafael Ramirez Jr.
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