5 players the Royals should consider trading
By Mason Paulus
The Kansas City Royals have had an abysmal start to the 2017 season. Barring a hot start to May, here are five players the Royals should listen to trades for.
The Royals began this season with legitimate postseason aspirations. On April 20, the Royals avenged their 2014 World Series kryptonite by beating Madison Bumgarner and the San Fransisco Giants at Kauffman Stadium. This win propelled the Royals back to .500 (7-7) and would give the team momentum heading into the summer, right?
Wrong.
The Royals proceeded by losing their next nine game before taking two of three at home from the White Sox. The Royals currently sit at 9-17, five and a half games back of the division-leading Twins.
What’s to blame for this 2010-like Royals performance? Hitting. The Royals have scored the fewest runs in MLB and it’s not even close. Entering action Thursday, Kansas City has scored just 74 runs. This is 21 fewer than the A’s, who rank 29th.
The Royals are last in baseball in most relevant statistics, including batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The Royals slash line through 26 games is .211/.272/.337. Key offensive pieces like Eric Hosmer, Brandon Moss and Alex Gordon are all hitting below .200.
If things don’t change quickly, general manager Dayton Moore could become a seller at the deadline, or even before. Here are five players who could soon be on the move.
5. Alcides Escobar
Alcides Escobar has been the Royals’ primary shortstop for the past six season. During this time, Escobar has averaged more than 157 starts per season. This consistency has made the 2014 All-Star and Gold Glove award winner extremely valuable.
Offensively, Escobar has never been mistaken for a juggernaut. His .260/.296/.340 career slash-line is not overly impressive. However, Escobar is a proven glove that is adequate enough offensively to not be a weakness.
Escobar is signed through 2017. With Royals AAA prospect Raul Mondesi biting at Escobar’s heels, there is no reason for the Royals to re-sign Escobar this offseason. Escobar would be a suitable rental for team for a team looking to add infield depth.