Free-agent right-hander Brooks Kriske on X earlier this week that he has signed a minor-league deal with his childhood team, the Chicago Cubs. At the Triple-A levels with the Cincinnati Reds and Baltimore Orioles in 2024 for Louisville and Norfolk, respectively, he went a combined 5-0 with a 3.39 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 81 strikeouts and 35 walks in 58 1/3 innings pitched in his 50 appearances out of the bullpen. The 30-year-old former sixth-round selection by the New York Yankees in 2016 out of USC made his big-league debut in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. He has only appeared in 20 games in relief since then with the Yankees, Orioles and Kansas City Royals and has been hit around to the tune of a rough 11.22 ERA and 1.85 WHIP while striking out 25 and walking 17 in 21 2/3 frames. Kriske will be trying to win a bullpen role for the Cubbies in spring training in 2025.

The Kansas City Royals signed right-handers Brooks Kriske and Cody Poteet, catcher Jakson Reetz and outfielder Seuly Matias to minor-league deals on Thursday. Kriske spent 2022 pitching in Japan and will now head back to the States. In two major-league seasons in 2020 and 2021 with the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles, Kriske had a rough 14.40 ERA and 2.20 WHIP with 13 walks and 19 strikeouts in 15 relief innings. Poteet will miss all of the 2023 campaign after having Tommy John surgery in August. Reetz played in two games with the Washington Nationals in 2021 but spent last year between Double-A and Triple-A. Matias played in 99 games for Double-A Northwest Arkansas and hit .225/.330/.424 with 16 home runs and 62 RBI.