KANSAS CITY -- The Royals on Friday non-tendered the contracts of four players -- right-handers Jason Adam and Andres Machado, first baseman Samir Duenez and outfielder Bubba Starling -- ahead of Friday night's 7 p.m. CT non-tender deadline.
None of the four are arbitration-eligible, but all four are expected to be signed back to Minor League deals in the next 24 hours, a source told MLB.com.
The moves will reduce the Royals' 40-man roster to 36, leaving them plenty of room for Winter Meetings transactions as well as possible Rule 5 Draft acquisitions.
Adam, 27, appeared in 31 games with Kansas City last year and posted a 6.12 ERA. Duenez, 22, had an .820 OPS in 80 games with Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2018. Machado, 25, appeared in two games with the Royals in late 2017 and allowed nine runs in 3 2/3 innings (22.09 ERA).
Starling, the fifth overall pick in the 2011 MLB Draft, was limited to 20 games across three Minor League levels due to injury.