Former Padres Pitcher Signs With AL Central Team

Maren Angus-Coombs | Apr 9, 2024

Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Royals announced Monday that they signed former San Diego Padres right-handed pitcher Zach Davies to a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Omaha.

Davies has pitched in parts of nine major league seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, Padres, Chicago Cubs, and Arizona Diamondbacks. He signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals on Feb. 17 with an invite to spring training, but failed to make the big league roster and was released on March 24.

The 31-year-old struggled this spring, allowing 14 runs in as many innings across four starts. He was in the running for the Nationals' final spot in the starting rotation but a horrific final start doomed him. He allowed nine runs off 10 hits with two walks and four strikeouts across 3 2/3 innings. Seven runs scored in the fourth, his final inning.

“I was extremely pleased with everything except for the last inning that I pitched,” Davies said on March 20. “It’s unfortunate being in this position. Your last start of spring, you don’t really have any more chances to show them what you have. All I can do is be prepared for whatever’s next.”

Davies' disappointing spring came on the heels of a below-average year with the D-backs. He finished 2-5 with an ERA of 7.00 in 18 starts. He only amassed 72 strikeouts across 82 1/3 innings pitched. After missing some time with a back injury, he went back and forth between Triple-A and the big leagues until he was released on Sept. 29, days before Arizona began its postseason run.

Signing Davies gives Kansas City a veteran arm in Triple-A Omaha. He doesn’t throw hard and has never missed many bats but is a serviceable back-end arm for the starting rotation.

Davies has started exactly 200 MLB games and owns a record of 60-58 with a 4.36 ERA in 1,048 1/3 innings pitched.