The veteran right-hander agreed to a minor-league contract with the Royals that includes an invite to spring training, MLB insider Robert Murray reported on Tuesday.
Sanchez, 33, last pitched in the majors in 2022 when he appeared in 15 games for the Minnesota Twins and Washington Nationals. He pitched in triple-A in 2023 and 2024 and most recently made eight starts in the Dominican Winter League.
His best seasons came with the Toronto Blue Jays, including in 2016 when he was an all-star. Sanchez pitched six seasons with the Blue Jays from 2014 until a trade to the Houston Astros in the middle of the 2019 campaign.
Sanchez has pitched in 174 MLB games over his career, including 113 starts, posting a 4.16 ERA with 541 strikeouts.