Kris Medlen signs with Kansas City Royals

Given that they had each just undergone their second Tommy John surgery, it was no surprise that Atlanta decided to non-tender both Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy. There were rumblings that Atlanta was interested in bringing them back, but that looked increasingly unlikely over the past few weeks, with AJC beat writer David O'Brien reporting that Atlanta had not reached out to either pitcher.

Now we have conformation that Medlen will not return, as he has signed a two-year deal with a third year mutual option. Ken Rosenthal had the figures of the signing first:

Source: Medlen two-year deal with #Royals worth $8.5M - $2M, $5.5M plus $10M mutual option with $1M buyout if either party declines.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 18, 2014

Source: Medlen deal with #Royals includes $4M in incentives in first year, $6M in second.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 18, 2014

Unsurprisingly, the deal is heavily-laden with incentives for the oft-injured starter. Medlen has shown he can be a legitimate top-of-the-rotation guy when healthy, though it is fair to wonder if he will ever return to that level now that he has a second surgery under his belt. Still, I like this signing alright for the Royals. Not too much risk, with a significant (albeit hazy) upside.

If you had told me, when Medlen and Hanson joined the Braves' rotation, that Medlen would be the guy I would miss more when they left, I would have thought you were crazy. But now, not so much. Medlen was a bulldog for Atlanta for years, and anchored the rotation for several years. I'll miss him, and I wish him nothing but the best.