Royals part ways with four players ahead of non-tender deadline

With Monday night being the deadline for MLB clubs to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players, the Kansas City Royals parted ways with four players, including one who was a frequent starter in recent seasons.

The team announced Monday night that infielders Humberto Arteaga, Cheslor Cuthbert and Erick Mejia and right-handed pitcher Jesse Hahn will not be tendered contracts for the 2020 season. The club avoided arbitration with left-handed pitcher Mike Montgomery earlier in the day, signing him to a one-year deal.

Cuthbert, 27, has seen action with the Royals in each of the last five seasons, playing in 322 games over that span and starting on Opening Day in 2016. Cuthbert was outrighted off the Royals' 40-man roster last offseason, but he eventually made his way back to the major leagues, being selected from Triple-A Omaha on May 31 and appearing in 87 games with the Royals over the final four months of the year. He batted .246 with 14 doubles, nine homers and 40 RBIs, seeing time at both first base and third base.

The 25-year-old Arteaga made his big league debut on June 20 and batted .197 over 41 major league games.

Hahn, 30, returned to the big leagues after a two-plus year absence due to UCL repair surgery. He made his first appearance with the Royals on September 5 vs. Detroit and pitched in six games out of the Royals’ bullpen after spending a majority of the year on the 60-day injured list.

The 25-year-old Mejia was the Royals' 2019 Triple-A Player of the Year, batting .271 with seven homers. He made his big league debut Sept. 5 and played in nine games with the Royals, batting .227 with a double and four RBIs.