The Royals have signed left-hander Matt Moore to a minor league deal, as per the team’s official player development account on X. The signing marks Moore’s return to pro ball after he didn’t pitch during the 2025 season.
A veteran of 13 Major League seasons, Moore signed a minors contract with the Red Sox in February 2025 but didn’t make the Opening Day roster. Moore could’ve opted out of his deal but chose to remain in the organization at Triple-A Worcester, yet some arm soreness prevented Moore from ever taking the mound for the WooSox. The Sox then released Moore in early April, and it may be that the southpaw’s long absence was related to his arm issues.
The contract is a nice late birthday present for Moore, who turned 37 two days ago. Should he reach the majors, the Royals would be the ninth different club Moore has pitched with at the MLB level, and he also pitched in Japan for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks during the 2020 season.
Viewed as baseball’s best pitching prospect during his time in the Rays’ farm system, Moore looked to be living up to that potential with an All-Star nod in 2013, but his career was set back by a Tommy John surgery in 2014. His numbers went south in the aftermath of that procedure, and Moore didn’t really get back on track until 2022, when he made a full-time shift to relief pitching and emerged as a weapon in the Rangers’ bullpen.
Moore posted a 2.20 ERA over 126 2/3 relief innings for four different teams during the 2022-23 seasons, but then struggled to a 5.03 ERA in 48 1/3 innings with the Angels in 2024. That rough year was prematurely ended by a forearm injury, and Moore hasn’t shown a pitch in a pro game since August 25, 2024.
If Moore can regain any of his old form, he could be an interesting addition to the struggling Kansas City bullpen, though the 32-45 Royals are running out of time to get into contention. Depending on how Moore looks in the minors and how long it may take him to ramp up to readiness at the big league level, he could be an interesting trade candidate beyond the deadline, as players can still be traded after August 3 if they haven’t been on a 40-man roster or on a Major League injured list at any point in the season.
