The free agent market for Zack Greinke was expected to be the Kansas City Royals. If he was to return for one more season, the expectation was that he would return to Kansas City, closing out his career where it began.
But that may not be such a given any longer. As noted at MLB Trade Rumors, the Orioles are also interested in Greinke, as they are looking to add another veteran starter to their rotation.
Zack Greinke gaining suitors other than Kansas City Royals
For their part, the Royals are still confident about bringing Greinke back on board. But they also said the same thing throughout the offseason, only for nothing to have happened to this point. In theory, a deal will get done, but that has been expected for weeks now.
It is understandable why teams would have interest in Greinke. He may not be the ace he once was, but he can still get the opposition out with his command and knowledge of pitching. He posted a respectable 3.68 ERA and a 1.343 WHiP over his 137 innings, striking out 73 batters with just 27 walks. Greinke may not have been great, but he still was a solid pitcher.
That production is just part of Greinke’s appeal. He is known for his exceptional baseball IQ, capable of seeing things on the diamond that other people cannot. That knowledge is invaluable to a team with a young pitching staff as Greinke is essentially an extra coach and mentor for those developing arms.
This is why the Orioles also make sense as a destination for Greinke. He could mentor Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall as they look to transition to the majors and key roles in the rotation. Having someone such as Greinke on hand could make a difference in their development.
The Kansas City Royals appear to have some competition for Zack Greinke’s services. The Baltimore Orioles are also showing interest in his services.