Royals' Mike Minor: May be bullpen bound in '17

Royals club officials have wondered how Minor (shoulder) might fare in the bullpen in 2017, the Kansas City Star reports.

Analysis:

It's fair to wonder if Minor will be healthy enough to pitch at all next season, since he's been sidelined for two full years after suffering a setback during his rehab assignment in August. Nevertheless, pushing Minor to work 50-60 innings seems more realistic than getting him healthy enough to start again for a full big league season, and the Royals' financial limitations this offseason will likely keep the search for bullpen help on internal options.