Outfielder Lane Thomas and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a $5.25 million, one-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity Thursday because the agreement, first reported by The Athletic, was subject to a successful physical.
Thomas can earn an additional $1 million in performance bonuses.
He had nine RBIs for Cleveland in the 2024 AL Division Series against Detroit but hit .160 with four homers and 11 RBIs in 125 at-bats over 39 games this year in an injury-decimated season with Cleveland. He batted .268 for Washington in 2023, when he set career bests with 28 homers, 86 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.
Thomas didn't play between April 8 and 15 this year because of a bone bruise in his right wrist sustained when hit by a pitch from Shane Smith of the Chicago White Sox and between April 19 and May 22 because of the same injury. He was out between May 26 and June 9 due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot.
He played his last big league game of the season on July 4, then was sidelined again because of the foot injury, though he did appear in three Double-A games from Sept. 2-5 as part of an injury rehabilitation assignment. He has surgery on Sept. 23,
A year earlier, he hit a tiebreaking grand slam off Detroit ace Tarik Skubal in Game 5 on an AL Wild Card Series.
Thomas had a $7,825,000 salary in a one-year contract that avoided salary arbitration. He became a free agent last month.
Now 30, Thomas has a .242 average with 65 homers and 254 RBIs in seven seasons with St. Louis (2019-21), Washington (2021-24) and the Guardians, who acquired him from the Nationals ahead of the 2024 trade deadline for infielder José Tena, left-hander Alex Clemmey and infielder Rafael Ramirez Jr.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
FILE - Cleveland Guardians' Lane Thomas (8) celebrates after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, July 2, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley, File)
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Trevor Moore scored the deciding goal in the shootout and had a goal in regulation in his first game since being activated off injured reserve to help the Los Angeles Kings beat the St. Louis Blues 5-4 on Saturday night.
Alex Laferriere, Taylor Ward and Brian Dumoulin also scored, and Darcy Kuemper made 25 saves for the Kings, who have not lost in regulation in five games.
Jordan Kyrou scored twice, Brayden Schenn and Dalibor Dvorsky added one goal each, and Joel Hofer made 24 saves for St. Louis, which has lost four consecutive games for the first time since the opening month of the season.
Moore, who missed 11 games with an upper-body injury, scored in the fourth round of the shootout. Then Kuemper denied Blues forward Jimmy Snuggerud to help the Kings improve to 8-13 in overtime games and shootouts this season.
Kyrou scored his second goal of the game with Hofer pulled to tie the game 4-4 with 2:10 remaining in regulation.
Brandt Clarke fired a shot from the point and Moore swatted the rebound past Hofer for his sixth goal of the season with 8:26 remaining in the third period. The Blues challenged the goal for offside, but a video review determined that the Kings remained onside.
Laferriere scored with 9:42 remaining in the second period to tie the game 3-3 just 1:32 after Kyrou beat Kuemper on a wraparound shot to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead.
Schen scored on a power play 6:30 into the second period to tie the game at 2-all.
Dvorsky scored just 1:03 after Dumoulin scored his first goal of the season 1:11 into the second period.
The Blues announced that 6,848 fans attended the game even though St. Louis was under a winter storm warning.
Kings: At Columbus on Monday night.
Blues: Host Dallas on Tuesday night.
AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper (35) stops a shot by St. Louis Blues' Jimmy Snuggerud (21) during a shootout of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Los Angeles Kings' Trevor Moore (12) celebrates after scoring during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the St. Louis Blues Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
St. Louis Blues' Philip Broberg (6) and Los Angeles Kings' Alex Laferriere (14) battle for a loose puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Los Angeles Kings' Quinton Byfield (55) and St. Louis Blues' Cam Fowler (17) battle for a loose puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Los Angeles Kings' Trevor Moore (12) scores past St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer during a shootout of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
