The Royals signed right-hander Ervin Santana to a Minor League contract on Tuesday, as they take a shot on a veteran who didn¡¯t pitch in 2020.

Santana has put together an accomplished big league career. His 15 seasons include one with the Royals in 2013, when he posted a 3.24 ERA over 32 starts after being acquired in a trade with the Angels. Santana then left as a free agent and signed with the Braves.

Now 38, Santana owns a career record of 149-127 and an ERA of 4.09 (101 ERA+) in 387 games (384 starts). He was an All-Star in 2008 for the Angels and in ¡®17 for the Twins. Since the latter season, he has made a total of eight MLB starts, recording a combined 8.53 ERA with Minnesota (¡®18) and the White Sox (¡®19), who released him at the end of April that year.

Santana then caught on with the Mets, pitching the rest of that season in their Minor League system. He didn¡¯t pitch in the Majors or Minors in 2020, though he did have a good showing in the Dominican Winter League this winter, with a 2.61 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings (five starts) for Tigres del Licey.