Royals avoid arbitration with Herrera, Karns
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The Kansas City Royals avoided salary arbitration with two players Friday, agreeing to terms with right-handers Kelvin Herrera and Nate Karns on contracts for the 2018 season.
The Royals' only other arbitration-eligible player, pitcher Brandon Maurer, remains unsigned.
Herrera, 28, went 3-3 with a 4.25 ERA and 26 saves in 31 opportunities last season, when he was the team's closer for most of the year.
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Karns' 2017 season, his first in Kansas City, ended when he was placed on the disabled list May 24 with nerve irritation in his pitching arm. Karns, 30, went 2-2 with a 4.17 ERA in nine appearances (eight starts) for the Royals.