KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Alex Lange agreed to a $900,000. one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals on Thursday, two days after the 30-year-old right-hander was released by the Detroit Tigers.
Lange can earn an additional $100,000 in performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 25 and 30 games.
Lange was on the injured list from the start of the season because of a strained right lat muscle. He was activated Aug. 18, pitched one scoreless inning against Houston, then was optioned to Triple-A Toledo three days later and went 2-1 with a 4.63 ERA in 24 relief appearances for the Mud Hens.
Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Alex Lange reacts after his team’s win over the Houston Astros in a baseball game, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)(Ryan Sun | AP)
He was 15-15 with a 3.70 ERA and 29 saves in five seasons with the Tigers.
Lange was the 2013-14 Gatorade Missouri Baseball Player of the Year in his final year at Lee’s Summit West High School. He posted a 6-0 record through 30 games with a 1.12 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 40 innings. He also compiled a .420 batting average with a home run, 17 RBI and a .531 on-base percentage, according to a release.
Lange attended LSU and was a first-round selection by the Chicago Cubs in the 2017 MLB Draft.
Kansas City also agreed to a one-year contract with right-hander James McArthur. He was on track to be eligible for salary arbitration if tendered a contract by Friday’s deadline.
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