Kip Wells has traveled a strange odyssey over the past six months, from injured pitcher, to concerned parent and husband, to the father of a recently born son.
He’s looking to add another chapter. Wells became a free agent Monday and agreed in principle on a contract with the Kansas City Royals, who are looking for Wells to provide immediate help for their bullpen.
Wells, designated for assignment by the Rockies after the arrival of Livan Hernandez, has kept his arm strong by throwing three times over the past week in Houston, his hometown.
“It’s done. I fly out in the morning to Cleveland,” Wells said. “This is a good opportunity to get right back into the big leagues.”
Wells went 1-2 with a 5.27 ERA for the Rockies, unable to find a niche after missing 10 weeks because of a blood clot and subsequent rehabilitation assignment. After failing in a one-shot audition for the rotation, he pitched well in his last relief outing, working two scoreless innings against the Washington Nationals on Aug. 7.
The Dodgers, who begin a three-game series with the Rockies tonight, have been active in their search for a starter. Late Monday they were close to reacquiring Greg Maddux, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Now that Wells is signing with another club, the Rockies will receive salary relief. They owed the veteran right- hander roughly $900,000 when they cut ties with him. Any major-league salary Wells signs for — likely around the $390,000 minimum — will be prorated to offset the Rockies’ remaining commitment.
Fowler, Weathers updates.
Rockies prospect Dexter Fowler hit a double down the right-field line Monday in Team USA’s 9-1 rout of China at the Olympics. The center fielder is 2-for-15 in Beijing. Fellow prospect Casey Weathers pitched one inning and had two strikeouts.
Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
TODAY: Rockies at Dodgers, 8:10 p.m., FSN
Ubaldo Jimenez (8-11, 3.86 ERA) can throw a four-seam fastball 100 mph. His sinking two-seamer hits a nasty 91 mph. But when he doesn’t command those pitches, he runs into trouble. That’s what happened in his last two starts. Last Tuesday against the Diamondbacks, Jimenez needed 108 pitches to get through six innings. The D-backs raked him for four runs on 11 hits. Against the Nationals on Aug. 7, he gave up six runs on eight hits in five innings. The Dodgers start right-hander Hiroki Kuroda (7-8, 3.88). He’s coming off a seven-inning, two-hit outing against Philadelphia and has a 1.12 ERA over his last three starts. Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
Wednesday: Rockies’ Jeff Francis (3-8, 5.74 ERA) vs. Dodgers’ Chad Billingsley (12-9, 3.10), 8:10 p.m., FSN
Thursday: Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (6-6, 6.16) vs. Dodgers’ Derek Lowe (9-10, 3.99), 1:10 p.m., FSN
Friday: Reds’ Josh Fogg (2-5, 7.71) vs. Rockies’ TBA, 7:05 p.m., FSN
Saturday: Reds’ Edinson Volquez (15-5, 2.73) vs. Rockies’ TBA, 6:05 p.m., FSN
