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Royals part ways with Alex Rios, Jeremy Guthrie

ALCS Blue Jays Royals Baseball

Kansas City Royals’ Alex Rios celebrates a single during the fifth inning in Game 6 of baseball’s American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday, Oct. 23, 2015, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

AP

It’s rough timing coming one day after the World Series parade in Kansas City, but the Royals have declined their 2016 options on right fielder Alex Rios and right-hander Jeremy Guthrie.

Rios had some good moments in the playoffs, but hit just .255 with four homers and a .640 OPS in 105 games during the regular season, ranking among the worst corner outfielders in the league. At age 35 and with an option priced at $12.5 million, buying him out for $1.5 million was an easy call.

Guthrie was even more of a no-brainer. He had a 5.95 ERA this season, getting dropped from the rotation, and hasn’t posted an ERA under 4.00 since 2010. He’s a mediocre back-of-the-rotation starter at this point and at age 38 paying him a $3.2 million buyout instead of a $10 million salary was the obvious move.

Both players figure to be looking at one-year deals on the open market and the Royals now have an opening in right field.

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