Royals Sign Pair of Veteran Relievers to Minor League Deals

The Kansas City Royals are in desperate need of pitching help due to a barrage of injuries suffered on their staff.

As a result, Kansas City signed a pair of veteran relief pitchers in Luke Jackson and Genesis Cabrera to minor league deals on Friday.

Jackson recently opted out of his minor league deal with the New York Mets last week. The Philadelphia Phillies released Cabrera last week, who was pitching on a minor league contract as well. The expectation is that both arms will report to Triple-A Omaha.

Jackson, 34, missed all of spring training before signing with the Mets in the first week of April. He tossed three scoreless appearances in Single-A St. Lucie and gave up six runs in 4.2 innings for Triple-A Syracuse.

The Royals are hoping that Jackson can recapture some of his previous form. The right-hander holds a career 4.22 ERA in 409.1 innings. Back in 2021, Jackson had a 1.98 ERA for the Atlanta Braves and helped them win a World Series title as a key member of their bullpen.

Jackson underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022 that wiped out his season. He did, however, bounce-back to produce a 2.97 ERA with the San Francisco Giants in 2023. Jackson's 2024 campaign was brutal (5.09 ERA), but he posted a 4.06 ERA in 52 appearances a season ago.

As for Cabrera, the 29-year-old surrendered 20 runs in 17.1 innings with the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate this season. It ultimately led to his release. He has had some high-strikeout seasons in the past, but also has struggled with his command.

Cabrera posted a 6.54 ERA in 42.2 innings for four major league teams in 2025. The Royals will be hoping the lefty can bounce-back if given the opportunity.

One of the reasons the Royals brought in two bullpen arms with major league experience is due to the fact that relievers Carlos Estevez, Matt Strahm and James McArthur are all currently on the injured list. Starters Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic are also on the IL at the moment as well. This could force them to move long relievers Bailey Falter and Luinder Avila into the starting rotation in the near future.

The Royals are in fourth place at 20-30 and nine games back in the American League Central division. They're set to face the Seattle Mariners in a three-game series at home this weekend before the New York Yankees come to town next week.

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This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 2:11 PM.