Outfielder Lane Thomas and the Kansas City Royals have finalized a $5.25 million, one-year contract. Thomas can earn an additional $1 million in performance…<\/p>\n
KANSAS CITY, Mo.(AP) \u2014 Outfielder Lane Thomas and the Kansas City Royals finalized a $5.25 million, one-year contract on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Thomas can earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
He played his last big league game of the season on July 4, then was sidelined again because of the foot injury<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n A year earlier, he hit a tiebreaking grand slam off Detroit ace Tarik Skubal in Game 5 on an AL Wild Card Series.<\/p>\n Thomas had a $7,825,000 salary in a one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. He became a free agent last month.<\/p>\n 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 acquired him from the Nationals ahead of the 2024 trade deadline<\/a> for infielder Jos\u00e9 Tena, left-hander Alex Clemmey and infielder Rafael Ramirez Jr.<\/p>\n