MLB Trade Deadline 2017: 5 best spots for Hunter Pence
By John Buhler
Kansas City Royals
AL, Central
By being only 1.5 games back of the Cleveland Indians for first place in the AL Central, expect the Kansas City Royals to make a few moves before the trade deadline. After missing out on the postseason a year ago, the Royals look to be in the mix to get back to some October baseball in the Junior Circuit.
Kansas City saw first hand what a player like Pence can do to an opposing club at the plate in October. Because of the way Pence handled the bat in the 2014 World Series, the Giants would go on to win its third Commissioner’s Trophy in a five-year span. It absolutely helped to have southpaw ace Madison Bumgarner playing out of his mind in the 2014 Fall Classic.
Even though third baseman Mike Moustakas has seen a power surge at the plate this season, Royals skipper Ned Yost knows that the Royals will win meaningful games down the stretch with timely hitting and a rock solid bullpen. Pence has largely lost his power since the Giants won the 2014 World Series, but he can still hit it into the gaps to drive in runs.
Either way, Pence is a player that grinds out every game. It feeds into the way the Royals play championship-caliber baseball. Figuring out where to put him in the outfield or even in a designated hitter role could be interesting. Maybe a change of scenery would be a good thing for Pence? Playing in the postseason does bring out the best in the guy.