MLB Trade Deadline 2017: 5 moves the Royals need to make

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NEW YORK, NY – NEW YORK, NY – JULY 17: Asdrubal Cabrera #13 of the New York Mets points up as he heads into the dugout during an MLB baseball game between the Mets and St. Louis Cardinals on July 17, 2017 at CitiField in the Queens borough of New York City. Cardinals won 6-3. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)17: Asdrubal Cabrera /

5. Trade for a shortstop

The shortstop the Royals need (and would probably love to have) is Zack Cozart. The chances of him being moved are low. The Cincinnati Reds seem committed to keeping him through the deadline and working on a long-term contract. Cozart also has a quad injury that could prevent him from being traded.

Asdrubal Cabrera has become disgruntled in New York and the Mets would be more than ecstatic if another team could take him off their hands. The two-time All-Star does not have much defensive value left at this point in his career, but is an offensive upgrade over Alcides Escobar.

Cabrera’s offensive numbers are down slightly this year, but he did hit 23 home runs last year and 15 two years ago. Getting a chance to play for a contending team for the final two months of the season could inject some life back into his bat. Trading for Cabrera is a low-risk move for the Royals that could make the shortstop position less of a black hole dragging down the rest of the lineup.

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