The Kansas City Royals announced the five-man rotation that would begin the season as the team looks to defend their World Series title. Kris Medlen was announced as the team's fifth starting pitcher. Medlen beat out Danny Duffy, who will now serve as the Royals' long reliever.

Medlen joined the Royals last year after spending his first five seasons in the majors with the Atlanta Braves. He was brilliant as a starter in 2014, holding a 3.11 ERA and 157/47 K/BB ratio over 31 starts. But then early in 2015, Medlen suffered a torn UCL in his elbow and had to undergo the second Tommy John surgery of his career.

He returned to the mound in 2015 and was fairly succesful considering it was his first season back post-surgery. Across 58 innings, including eight starts, he had a 4.01 ERA and 1.27 WHIP.

Heading into the 2016 season, fantasy owners should see Medlen closer to full form, though it's impossible to know if he will ever come close to the numbers he posted in 2014. Medlen will have a good defense behind him and he is in a pitcher's park, so there's enough upside and reason to take a chance on him as insurance at the end of fantasy drafts.