KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Outfielder Alex Rios and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to an $11 million, one-year contract, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Monday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal was subject to Rios passing a physical.
Rios would take over in right field from Nori Aoki, who became a free agent after helping the Royals win their first AL pennant since 1985.
Rios, who turns 34 in February, had been with Texas since August 2013 and hit .280 this year with four homers and 54 RBIs. He set career highs with the Chicago White Sox in 2012 with 25 homers and 91 RBIs.
Selected by Toronto with the 19th overall pick in the 1999 amateur draft, Rios has .278 average in 11 big league seasons with 165 homers.
His agreement was first reported by CBS.
Rios is the second bat added by the Royals this month following a $17 million, two-year agreement with designated hitter Kendrys Morales that has not been announced. Morales would replace Billy Butler.
Kansas City still may seek a starting pitcher to join a starting rotation projected to have Jordano Ventura, Jason Vargas, Jeremy Guthrie and Danny Duffy following the loss of James Shields, who became a free agent. Possible fifth starters include left-hander Brandon Finnegan, who pitched in relief in the postseason, and Luke Hochevar, who missed the 2014 season following elbow ligament-replacement surgery.
