Report: Royals, Rios agree to 1-year, $11-million deal

The Kansas City Royals reportedly found their replacement for Nori Aoki on Monday, agreeing to a one-year, $11-million deal with veteran outfielder Alex Rios, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

Rios, a first-round pick in the 1999 draft, had his $14-million team option for next season declined by the Texas Rangers after he hit .280/.311/.398 (99 OPS+) with just four home runs over 131 games in 2014. The 33-year-old nevertheless drew at least moderate interest as a free agent this winter, as the Seattle Mariners were reportedly among other teams considering the two-time All-Star.

The 11-year veteran fell victim to both regression and injury last season, however, and the 131 games he appeared in for the Rangers were his fewest since 2006. Rios also managed just 0.2 WAR in his injury-riddled campaign, while battling decline in the outfield and at the plate. Defensive metrics did not take kindly to his efforts, and his .709 OPS was his worst since 2011.

The addition of Rios, though, provides the Royals with a viable replacement for Aoki, who's likely to sign elsewhere as a free agent after managing 2.3 WAR over 132 games last season. Rios also represents the latest in a series of signings by the Royals, as the club also reportedly signed Kendrys Morales to a two-year deal last week.