KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Royals have agreed to a four-year contract with left-hander Jason Vargas in an attempt to fill the void in their rotation created by Ervin Santana's free agency.
Vargas was 9-8 with a 4.02 ERA in 24 starts for the Angels last season. He was 6-4 with a 3.65 ERA before going on the disabled list with a blood clot in his arm that required surgery.
Kansas City was searching for a veteran to replace Santana, another former Angels pitcher who rediscovered himself in Kansas City. Santana went 9-10 with a 3.24 ERA last season, driving up his price in free agency to the point where the Royals were unlikely to sign him.
Vargas isn't the sort of splashy signing that will make Royals fans salivate, but he does solidify the back end of what's expected to be a young rotation.