Manny Machado saw several of his teammates depart this offseason, including Elias Diaz. Diaz spent the past two seasons with the San Diego Padres and will now get an opportunity with the Kansas City Royals as he looks to work his way back to the majors.
The report was shared by Hector Gomez on X (@hgomez27): āThe Kansas City Royals sign catcher Elias Diaz to minor league deal, with spring training invite.ā The signing generated notable attention, as the veteran free agent has appeared in 205 games over the past two seasons.
Itās not considered a major loss for Machado and the Padres, who have a strong roster capable of covering the catcher position. However, the Royals appear to be prioritizing experience. Diaz brings 11 years of MLB service time, primarily serving as a backup to established starters.
Elias Diaz represents a low-cost veteran addition for the Royals
More than a decade in Major League Baseball is no small feat. Diaz spent his first five seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and in 2017 he received his first extended opportunity to showcase his potential, appearing in 64 games behind the plate.
He then spent four and a half seasons with the Colorado Rockies, where he became an important part of the clubās defensive work at home plate. While he wasnāt always the full-time starter, he logged multiple 100-plus game seasons for Colorado before departing in 2024 to join Machado and the San Diego Padres.
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In 2025, Diaz endured one of his least productive seasons, posting a .204 batting average with 52 hits and 29 RBIs in what was a difficult campaign overall. He earned $3.5 million in salary, which could serve as a reference point for any potential deal to return to the majors. According to Spotrac, his current market value is projected at approximately $2.4 million.
