Last week both players each rejected their side of mutual options for 2017. Therefore, Volquez will receive a $3 million buyout and Morales will get $1.5 million.
The Royals still can sign either Volquez or Morales, and there may be some interest in doing so with Morales.
Morales, 33, won the Silver Slugger award in 2015, and after a slow start to 2016 wound up slashing at .263/.327/.468 with 30 home runs and 93 RBIs.
If the Royals do not re-sign Morales, they may rotate their DH spot among several players.