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The Royals have an agreement in place with lefty John Means, the team announced. It’s a two-year minor league contract. Means tore his Achilles tendon in December and is likely to miss the 2026 season. The Wasserman client last pitched in the big leagues with the Orioles in 2024.
Injuries have derailed what began as a promising career for Means. He earned an All-Star selection as a rookie back in 2019. Means was a mainstay in Baltimore’s rotation through 2021. Health issues have capped the lefty at 10 big-league appearances over the past four years. Tommy John surgery cost him most of 2022 and 2023. Means made it through four starts in 2024 before needing another elbow procedure.
Kansas City adds Means with the hope he’ll contribute down the line. Cleveland attempted to do the same thing, but it didn’t pan out. The Guardians grabbed Means on a one-year, $1MM pact last offseason. The lefty was pushing to return to the majors by the end of the year following his second Tommy John procedure. He managed seven minor league starts with the club, failing to make the MLB roster. Cleveland declined its $6MM option on Means in November.
Means entered the league with a low-90s fastball supplemented by a strong changeup and a decent slider. He didn’t miss many bats as a rookie, but kept the ball in the yard and limited hard contact. Means ranked in the 89th percentile for hard-hit rate in his first full season.
The shortened 2020 campaign saw Means’ fastball jump by 2 mph. The improved velocity didn’t produce better results, but the lefty’s mid-4.00s ERA in a small sample could be explained away by a 21.8% home run to fly ball ratio.
The heater lost a tick in 2021, but Means still delivered a 3.62 ERA across 26 starts. He was off to an excellent start through May, but a shoulder strain cost him six weeks. Means closed the year with an ERA up near 5.00 once he returned. He allowed 17 home runs over his final 14 appearances.
The real shame of Means’ persistent injuries to close his time with Baltimore is that he never got to fully experience the adjusted stadium dimensions. The Orioles moved the fences back and introduced “Walltimore” in left field ahead of the 2022 season. The new-look Camden Yards would’ve fit Means’ approach perfectly, as a fly ball pitcher who generally limited hard contact. He was available for just five home starts after the changes were put in place.
Photos courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Images