Kansas City Royals sign Michael Saunders to minor league deal
Just two days after Michael Saunders had signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he has become a member of the Kansas City Royals.
It has been a strange couple of days for outfielder Michael Saunders. On Wednesday, he had signed a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates, only to see them trade for Corey Dickerson and call off the deal. Chances are, this was due to the Pirates having a plethora o outfield options, and Saunders not having much of a chance to landing on the major league roster.
However, he was not out of a job for long. The Kansas City Royals have signed the former All Star to a minor league deal, joining the team for the major league portion of Spring Training. As with Pittsburgh, he would need to earn his way onto the 40 man roster, but the Royals outfield is thinner than Kate Moss at this point.
Per source, Michael Saunders will make $1.5M with Royals if he makes Major League roster, with $500K worth of bonus performances.
— Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) February 24, 2018
When healthy, Saunders has been a solid major leaguer. He had possessed a decent mix of power and speed, hitting double digit homers four times, and in 2012, came one homer shy of a 20-20 season. Over his nine year major league career, Saunders has produced a .232/.305/.397 batting line, hitting 81 homers and stealing 55 bases. He has been a decent corner outfielder in that time, with above average range, although defensive metrics frown on his work at his primary position in center.
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The problem is, Saunders cannot stay healthy. Over that time, he has had only three seasons with over 350 plate appearances. Those injuries have sapped his speed, as he has stolen just five bases since 2013. Yet, his power has improved, with Saunders making his only All Star Game in 2016, as he produced a .253/.338/.478 batting line with 24 homers and 32 doubles with the Blue Jays.
Last year, Saunders came crashing down to Earth. After signing a $9 million contract with Philadelphia, he struggled badly enough to be released in June. He returned to Toronto, but did not have the same success. Overall, he had a .202/.256/.344 batting line in 234 plate appearances, hitting six homers.
For the Royals, Saunders is a low risk option. They are in need of a left handed hitting outfielder, and Saunders does have some pop. His ability to play all three outfield positions would also work in his favor, giving the Royals an option at each position. If healthy, he could be quite the bargain.
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The question is whether or not Michael Saunders can remain healthy. If so, he has a chance to contribute to the Kansas City Royals this season.