Royals Sign All-Star Pitcher to 2-Year Deal After Heartbreaking Injury

The Royals are seemingly willing to take a small risk on veteran pitcher John Means...

Jul 30, 2021; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A Kansas City Royals hat and glove in the dugout during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Royals are gearing up for a postseason push this season. They've made a handful of moves, but it seems like the main goal of the offseason has been to develop the roster and get healthy.

With Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic returning to the mound for the Royals, it's going to be quite an exciting season in Kansas City. To make matters better for Royals fans, the team is still investing in their future with minor league deals.

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On Friday, the Royals announced they had signed veteran pitcher John Means to a two-year minor league deal. It's rare to see minor league deals for more than one season, but Means is a unique circumstance. Let's dive into his roller coaster offseason.

Royals sign John Means to 2-year minor league deal

May 22, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher John Means (47) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Means has undergone Tommy John surgery twice over the last few years. He didn't appear in 2025 and he only combined for 10 starts across the three seasons prior to last year. Injuries have crippled his career and it's only gotten worse with time.

Earlier this offseason, Means tore his Achillies on the same day that he was going to sign a deal with a big league team. He was seemingly ready for opening day for the first time in years, but the Achillies injury, which happened in December, will likely sideline him for the entire 2026 season.

As a result, the Royals opted to sign him to a two-year minor league deal. This is Kansas City's way of investing in Means, who they clearly believe in, before another team has the chance to scoop him up next year when he's healthy.

The Royals are seemingly alright with paying him to rehab and recover this season as long as he's signed with them next year. Means, an All-Star in 2019, has only eclipsed the 100-inning mark in a season on two occasions.

If there's one player in the Royals' organization who's going to be easy to cheer for over the next two years, it's Means. If he can make it back to the big leagues, he would have overcame quite a bit of adversity to get there.

More MLB: Royals Have Legit Reasons to Be Worried About Cole Ragans' Health