Royals avoided arbitration with RHP Luke Hochevar by agreeing to a one-year, $5.21 million contract. Hochevar, who was arbitration-eligible for a final time, can also earn an additional $400,000 based on games finished or started. The right-hander thrived in a full-time move to the bullpen in 2013, holding a 1.92 ERA while striking out 82 over 70 1/3 innings.

Royals manager Ned Yost said Monday that Luke Hochevar and Wade Davis will get long looks for the final two rotation spots during spring training. Of course, that's assuming the Royals don't add any more starters this winter. Hochevar enjoyed great success out of the bullpen this past season while Davis really struggled as a starter, so it's hardly an ideal scenario. Yost acknowledged that things could change if Danny Duffy, Yordano Ventura or Kyle Zimmer are "lights out" in the spring.

Royals recalled RHP Luke Hochevar from the paternity leave list. Hochevar has been away from the team since Sunday. He returns to a 1.93 ERA over 44 appearances this season.

Royals placed RHP Luke Hochevar on the paternity leave list. He'll be away from the big club for a few days while his wife gives birth. Will Smith has taken Hochevar's spot on the roster.

Luke Hochevar picked up second save after allowing one run in 1 1/3 innings against the Red Sox on Thursday. It was 3-0 after 7 1/2 and Greg Holland was surely on the way end, but the Royals scored twice in the bottom of the eighth and manager Ned Yost decided to stick with Hochevar. Hochevar went on to give up a run in the ninth, getting Holland active again, but he then induced a game-ending double-play ball from Mike Napoli.

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that the Red Sox have been scouting Luke Hochevar. He notes that the Sox "have not engaged in trade discussions with the Royals" at this point. Still, it's not a surprise that they're interest, as Boston is on the lookout for relief help and Hochevar has thrived in a bullpen role, posting a 2.00 ERA and 38/10 K/BB ratio over 36 frames. He's making $4.65 million this season before hitting free agency this winter.

Royals manager Ned Yost said that Luke Hochevar is "going to get the opportunity" to prove he can be the team's setup man. The Royals thought they had an elite setup man coming into the year in Kelvin Herrera, but he's struggled so badly that he's been sent down twice. Aaron Crow has also been less than reliable, clearing the way for Hochevar to get a shot. The former starter has taken well to a relief role, posting a 2.16 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 35/9 K/BB ratio over 33 1/3 innings.

Luke Hochevar twirled three innings of one-run ball Monday against the Angels to record his first career save. Hochevar took over in the seventh for Royals starter Luis Mendoza with a 10-3 lead. He struck out four, didn't walk a batter and allowed three hits. A bust as a starter, Hochevar may be resurrecting his career out of the 'pen, using a mid-90s heater and sick cutter to post a 1.17 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 17/3 K/BB rate over 15 1/3 innings. He's not a threat for saves in KC, yet, but fantasy owners should monitor the talented right-hander's progress.

Luke Hochevar has put up a 1.04 ERA and 11/3 K/BB ratio over 8 2/3 innings out of the bullpen this season. Hochevar never put it all together as a starter, but he might have found a home in the bullpen. The righty's fastball is sitting in the mid-90s in relief, and he's also showing a nasty cutter. Hochever is down the pecking order for saves in a loaded Royals bullpen, but it's looking like he'll be a weapon for them.

According to CBS Sports' Danny Knobler, teams that have asked about Luke Hochevar were told the Royals want "quite a bit" in return for him. Well, of course they would. After all, we're talking about a long reliever with a $4.65 million salary and 5.39 career ERA. It could just be posturing by Kansas City, as logic would dictate that the Royals would love simply to just unload Hochevar's salary. The Rockies had interest in the right-hander over the winter.