Royals, Edinson Volquez agree to two-year, $20 million deal

The Royals have agreed to a two-year, $20 million contract with right-handed pitcher Edinson Volquez, according to major league sources. The deal is pending a physical exam.

Volquez, 31, was 13-7 with a 3.04 ERA in 32 appearances (31 starts) with the Pirates in 2014. He drew interest from multiple teams this winter, including the Pirates and Twins, and was known to be seeking a multi-year deal from the start.

Volquez will replace James Shields in the Royals' rotation, joining Yordano Ventura, Jason Vargas, Jeremy Guthrie and Danny Duffy in the team's starting five. He joins the sixth team of his career, returning to the American League for the first time since spending the 2007 season with the Rangers.

In 10 major league seasons with the Rangers (2005-2007), Reds (2008-2011), Padres (2012-2013), Dodgers (2013) and Pirates (2014), Volquez is the owner of a lifetime 66-59 record and 4.44 ERA in 191 appearances (185 starts). He was an NL All-Star in 2008, en route to a season in which he went 17-6 with a 3.21 ERA in 32 starts.