Released by the Giants near the end of spring training Jeff Suppan has found a new home with the Royals, signing a minor-league contract today.
Suppan pitched for Kansas City from 1998 to 2002, going from journeyman to consistent 200-inning starter during that time, and also knows current Royals manager Ned Yost from their days together with the Brewers. However, he’s now 36 years old and a long way from a dependable innings eater. He’ll join the rotation at Triple-A.
Milwaukee released Suppan in the middle of last season, eating around $8 million in salary, and after latching on with St. Louis he finished 3-8 with a 5.06 ERA in 101 innings overall. This spring he had a 5.50 ERA in 18 innings, allowing 12 runs while managing just five strikeouts, and Suppan hasn’t had an ERA better than the league average since 2007.