CAMPILLO SIGNS WITH ROYALS, RETURNS TO MEX PAC

Right-hander Jorge Campillo has signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Royals and will spend the winter pitching for the Culiacan Tomateros. Campillo parlayed an outstanding 2004-05 Mex Pac season with the Tomateros into a deal with the Seattle Mariners in 2005. That winter, Campillo went 10-1 and led the LMP with a 2.05 ERA after a number of mostly average summers pitching for the Angelopolis Tigres of the Mexican League.

However, Campillo has been beset by arm injuries since being signed by the Mariners, who traded him to Atlanta in 2008. He was 8-7 with a 3.91 ERA for the Braves that year, but only pitched five games for Atlanta this year (1-0 and 4.15) before rotator cuff surgery ended his season early. The Braves offered the 31-year-old a contract for 2010, but Campillo turned it down and chose to sign with Kansas City, where he hopes to have a chance to start.

It’s likely that he’ll be in the starting rotation for Paquin Estrada’s Tomateros, who finished last in the recently-concluded first half.