Cruz signed a contract that would guarantee him $6 million over two years. The deal was believed to be worth $2.25 million for this year, $3.25 million for 2010 and had a club option for $4 million for '11 with a $500,000 buyout.

To make room for Cruz on the 40-man roster, the Royals designated infielder Esteban German for assignment.

Cruz, 30, checked into the Royals' camp on Saturday afternoon.

"I like this team because they have some young guys, they seem like they try to win and this is a good organization," Cruz said.

Last season, Cruz had a 4-0 record with a 2.61 ERA in 57 games for the D-backs. He led all National League relievers with 12.37 strikeouts per nine innings, based on his 71 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings, and ranked second in the Majors to Tampa Bay's Grant Balfour (12.65 strikeouts per nine innings).

"He's a power pitcher, he's a great competitor," said Royals general manager Dayton Moore. "I think only Brad Lidge had more swings-and-misses last year. He was very effective against left-handers and very effective against right-handers and is someone who gives us a lot of power and aggressiveness. He's been very successful the last two years."

Cruz was under consideration by the Royals during the Winter Meetings when they signed relievers Kyle Farnsworth and Doug Waechter. Cruz, who made $1.9375 million last year with Arizona, was among 75 free agents left unsigned as of Saturday.

Despite the long wait, Cruz said he wasn't concerned.

"No, I wasn't worried about that," he said. "There were some other clubs interested."

For a time, it appeared that the Twins might sign him, but that fell through.

The combination of Farnsworth and Cruz give the Royals a right-handed power twosome to help get the game to closer Joakim Soria.

"You've got to be able to strike people out in our league," Moore said. "We feel like we have that. We feel like we've got a very good closer in Joakim but we've got to make sure we get to him. I like how things are shaping up for us on paper."

Since his debut in 2001, Cruz has the 10th-best strikeout ratio in the Majors, 9.35 batters per nine innings. Farnsworth ranks sixth at 10.13 strikeouts.

"We're excited about that. We'll see how everything shakes out but he certainly has a knack for missing bats," Royals manager Trey Hillman said. "Any time you add somebody like that to your bullpen, it's pretty exciting for us."

Cruz will help fill the bullpen gap created by John Bale's absence because of thyroid surgery which is scheduled for Tuesday in Kansas City.

In the offseason, the Royals traded relievers Ramon Ramirez and Leo Nunez, causing Moore to restructure the bullpen.

"We traded two pretty good relief pitchers this offseason so we worked very hard to put our 'pen back together. Kyle Farnsworth was the first part of that, a strikeout pitcher, somebody who has pitched in playoff games, somebody who's very aggressive and can intimidate," Moore said.

In eight Major League seasons, Cruz had a 29-31 record with a 4.00 ERA in 297 games. In additional to the Diamondbacks, he's played for the Cubs, Braves and Athletics.

Moore said that Cruz has been working out in the Dominican Republic and was to be in the Royals' camp on Saturday.

"He's arriving in Spring Training shape," Moore said. "We do have plenty of time [for him to get ready]."

Cruz is on the Dominican roster for the World Baseball Classic but said he had not decided if he would play in the event. The players bound for the Classic are leaving camp on Sunday.

"My understanding for right now is that he stated he's leaning toward not playing, being with a new team, but we'll wait until that's definitive," Hillman said.

German batted .245 in 89 games for the Royals last season, his third with the club.

"Este is such a pro, he's such a terrific person. He'll end up on his feet," Moore said. "He was a very versatile player and performer for us and somebody that was very well-liked and very well-respected in our clubhouse. We've got 10 days to either trade him or release him and we'll be able to put him in a position to win a role that will be good for him and make another team better."

Because of the signing of Cruz, a Type-A free agent, the D-backs get a compensation pick and the Royals' second-round selection in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft.