Will KC Royals take an aggressive swing at MLB trade deadline? They have needs

The Kansas City Royals find themselves in an enviable position ahead of Major League Baseball’s 2024 trade deadline.

Some teams will be sellers as they look to next season, but the Royals are in the market as potential buyers.

Kansas City is 57-49 after Sunday’s loss to the Chicago Cubs, in the hunt in the American League Central behind the division-leading Cleveland Guardians and second-place Minnesota Twins. The Royals are also in the mix for a possible AL Wild Card spot.

Looking to bolster their current roster ahead of the deadline, which arrives at 5 p.m. Central Time on Tuesday, the Royals have perused this year’s trade market with an earmarked agenda. They are seeking an impact bat with leadoff capabilities while also evaluating relief pitchers.

This month, the Royals acquired reliever Hunter Harvey from the Washington Nationals. In return, the Royals parted ways with top prospect Cayden Wallace and the No. 39 selection in this year’s draft.

It was a hefty price to pay to bolster the KC bullpen. But Harvey is controllable through the 2025 season and could become a high-leverage option for the Royals. He has appeared in two games for the Royals so far, exiting Sunday’s appearance early with lower-back spasms.

Are more moves ahead for the Royals? Here are three key questions ...

Is KC willing to spend for a playoff push?

After the Royals collected their 57th victory of the year, eclipsing their win total from all of last season, first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino declared “the book is closed” on that disastrous 2023 campaign.

Pasquantino also noted that every remaining regular-season game this year will be big. The reason is simple: The Royals are in a playoff race now.

At 57-49, the club is on pace toward its first winning season since its World Series championship of 2015. If things break right, the Royals could be playing in October again.

Which begs the question: What are the Royals willing to spend in pursuit of a playoff berth?

They aren’t likely to part with more top prospects. They like their minor-league system, which recently improved with an influx of 2024 MLB Draft selections.

“We want to be aggressive; we want to do what we need to do for this team,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said. “At the same time, we want to be aware of what our future looks like. So we’ll be a little more calculated going forward and what we might get in return.”

Ideally, the Royals would make a deal without sacrificing a wealth of capital. The Star recently outlined a few tradable assets within the organization, and a couple of those players could bring decent return.

The Royals have big-league depth at Triple-A Omaha. Starting pitcher Daniel Lynch IV and first baseman Nick Pratto have major-league experience. Other players, such as catcher Carter Jensen or outfielder Gavin Cross, could be made available in the right deal.

Some reports have suggested the Royals are looking into veteran Chicago White Sox outfielder Tommy Pham and two Los Angeles Angels: Luis Rengifo and Taylor Ward.

Will the Royals add a versatile bat?

The Royals would certainly like to.

This club values positional versatility, so it could be an outfielder who plays all three spots or an infielder who can shift between different positions.

The Royals want someone who can bat leadoff. The role has been a revolving door as Maikel Garcia has moved down in the order.

Manager Matt Quatraro has tried veterans Adam Frazier and Garrett Hampson in the leadoff spot. On Sunday he used second baseman Michael Massey, who went 0-for-3 with a walk.

The Royals had been excited about Garcia’s potential in the leadoff role. But he has a .285 on-base percentage this season. And Frazier is hitting .197 with a .278 on-base percentage.

Hunter Renfroe has been a recent bright spot among the Royals’ outfielders, hitting .328 with 12 RBIs in his last 18 games. But KC needs more production from those positions.

Pham or Ward could provide a solution.

Ward is not a prototypical leadoff hitter but has legitimate power. He has 15 home runs and 51 RBIs in 103 games. He offers some intriguing slugging potential that could lengthen the Royals’ lineup.

Ward could fetch more in return, in terms of prospects. He has two years of control left and will be a free agent after the 2026 season.

Pham, on the other hand, would be a so-called rental player. He is slated to be a free agent after this season. At 36, he has put up impressive numbers for the White Sox. He is hitting .266 with five home runs and 19 RBIs. He also has leadoff experience.

There is a link between Pham and the Royals’ coaching staff, too: He was with the Tampa Bay Rays from 2018-19 alongside Royals manager Matt Quatraro and KC bench coach Paul Hoover.

Rengifo, meanwhile, can play multiple infield spots. With the Angels, he has spent time at second base, third base and shortstop. He’s hitting .300 with a .348 on-base percentage this season.

Another name to watch is Nationals outfielder Lane Thomas. He has one year of control remaining before becoming a free agent in 2026.

Can the Royals bolster their bullpen?

The Royals could take a more in-depth look at the reliever market after a pair of their pitchers sustained injuries on Sunday.

While Harvey deals with lower-back spasms, right-hander John Schreiber exited the series finale against the Cubs with discomfort in the patalla tendon of his right knee.

Asked about Schreiber’s injury right after Sunday’s game, Quatraro said, “We certainly don’t know anything yet.”

If they seek to bring in another arm, the Royals could take a run at Miami Marlins closer Tanner Scott or Angels high-leverage pitcher Luis Garcia. But the Royals would not be alone in pursuing either player; both are coveted by contending teams in the trade market.

Scott has a 1.18 ERA and 18 saves this year. He will be a free agent after the season and has a 29.1% strikeout rate. However, he is prone to command issues, with 27 walks in 45 2/3 innings.

Garcia is 5-1 with a 3.71 ERA in 45 games this season. He has operated as a middle reliever and would be a rental candidate.