On Sunday, the Royals formally dismissed veteran pitcher Jordan Lyles, who had gone unclaimed on unconditional release waivers.
Lyles, 33, has been on the restricted list since April 20 for what the Royals call a personal concern. In order to respect Lyles’ privacy, the club maintained little to no touch with him while he dealt with his problem and did not provide any additional information. There are several reasons why players might be placed on the restricted list, all of which require approval from MLB and the MLBPA. Players on the restricted list remain under contract with their club, but they are not on the 40-man roster, are not rewarded, and do not earn service time.
However, Lyles reported to the Royals’ Arizona complex in June to resume pitching. Because he was on the restricted list, MLB regulations required him to have 30 days to earn his way back before the Royals could make a roster decision. At the conclusion of 30 days, they had to either reinstate him on the 40-man and 26-man rosters or release him.
A player on the restricted list cannot be sent on a rehab assignment, and Lyles has over five years of service time, so he cannot be optioned to the Minor Leagues without his approval.
Lyles had been pitching in simulated games in Arizona, but given his months-long layoff, the Royals did not believe he was ready to return to the Major Leagues and join their 13-man pitching staff. With the 30-day window closing on Friday, the Royals needed to make the choice and consequent roster move before Saturday’s game.
“This is still sort of an ongoing thing, so out of respect to Jordan and the personal nature of it, we don’t want to comment too much,” Royals senior vice president/assistant general manager Scott Sharp said. “We wish him all the best in the future. We were forced to make a decision as a result of specific norms and limits within the corporation. The wisest decision for the organization was to release Jordan Lyles.
Lyles signed a two-year, $17 million contract with the Royals prior to the 2023 season, and he had a 6.28 ERA in 31 starts and 177 2/3 innings last year. He started the 24th season in the bullpen, pitching five scoreless innings in five outings before being placed on the restricted list.
“It’s not how we wanted it to go,” manager Matt Quatraro stated. “We know he’s been gone for personal reasons, and there’s not much else we can say except that we hope everything goes well for him. We signed him to a two-year contract with the expectation of keeping him here indefinitely, but that did not happen.”
Lyles was not rewarded, and he did not earn service time while on the restricted list. It is unclear whether the Royals will be responsible for the remainder of his compensation this year, as this must be settled by MLB and the MLBPA.
Lyles is now an unrestricted free agent, able to sign with any team. The Royals are unlikely to re-sign him this year.
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