Report: Royals want Greinke to accept inexpensive, incentive-laden deal

The Kansas City Royals want to bring Zack Greinke back for his 20th major-league season, but they want to keep costs low if they do it.

In order to return to the Royals in 2023, the likely future Hall of Famer would have to sign a deal with a low guaranteed salary and incentives based on innings thresholds, sources told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

Greinke, 39, is coming off a one-year, $13-million contract with the Royals, returning to the team with whom his career began all the way back in 2004. Despite reduced velocity and strikeout stuff, he posted a strong 3.68 ERA and 4.03 FIP over 137 innings while making 23 starts.

For his career, Greinke possesses a 3.42 ERA and 3.47 FIP over 3,247 innings, notably winning the 2009 AL Cy Young award, making six All-Star teams, and winning six Gold Gloves.

If Greinke and the Royals do hatch a deal, it will be Greinke's ninth with the team. From 2004-10, Greinke had an incredibly fruitful stretch to start his MLB career, posting a 3.82 ERA over 210 games, including 169 starts. Following the 2010 campaign, he was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers along with Yuniesky Betancourt for a package that included Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, and Jake Odorizzi.