SURPRISE, Ariz. _ Travis Wood, the newest member of the Royals pitching staff, arrived here at spring training on Wednesday morning, officially signing a two-year, $12 million contract.
To make room for Wood on the Royals' 40-man roster, the team placed pitcher Brian Flynn on the 60-day disabled list because of what was described as a stable lumbar vertebral fracture. Royals manager Ned Yost said Tuesday that Flynn fell through the roof of his barn in Oklahoma, causing a broken rib and three non-displaced fractures in his vertebrae.
Wood is set to make $4 million in 2017 and $6.5 million in 2018, according to a source familiar with the contract negotiations. The deal also includes a $1.5 million buyout on an $8 million mutual option for the 2019 season.
Wood spent the last five years with the Chicago Cubs. In five seasons, he posted a 3.94 ERA in 220 games, including 98 starts. But he moved to the bullpen over the last two seasons and worked exclusively in relief in 2016. Wood said on Wednesday that he was motivated to sign with the Royals because the club offered an opportunity to compete for a job in the starting rotation.
"I wanted to try to get back to it," Wood said. "And they're going to give me an opportunity to do that. So we're going to give it everything we got."
He could make up to $1 million in incentives as a starting pitcher.
