Major League Baseball

Royals closing in on two-year deal with DH Kendrys Morales

Published Dec. 11, 2014 12:39 p.m. ET

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So much for the Royals' plan of rotating position players at the DH spot next year.

Multiple reports suggest the Royals have agreed to terms on a two-year deal with Kendrys Morales. CBSSports.com and Yahoo Sports report the deal is worth $17 million with another $750,000 each season in incentives.

A source close to the situation would confirm only that the Royals "are getting closer" to a deal.

The Royals passed on matching Oakland's three-year, $30 million deal with Billy Butler last month and now appear to have found a slightly cheaper alternative for fewer years.

But Morales, 31, is three years older than Butler and Morales' production dropped dramatically last season -- as did Butler's.

In stops with Minnesota and Seattle last season, Morales hit just eight home runs with 42 RBI in 98 games. He hit just .218 with an unsightly .612 OPS.

But the Royals have long had internal talks about acquiring Morales over the past few years.

In 2013, he had 23 homers and 80 RBI with a .785 OPS for Seattle. Morales' best season came with the Angels in 2009, when he hit 34 homers with 108 RBI and a .924 OPS.

As the Winter Meetings in San Diego end today, the Royals still have needs in right field and for a starting pitcher to replace James Shields. But the Royals could go with internal options for the right-field spot, possibly platooning Carlos Peguero and Paulo Orlando, who hit well at Triple-A Omaha last season.

You can follow Jeffrey Flanagan on Twitter at @jflanagankc or email him at jeffreyflanagan6@gmail.com.

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