The Kansas City Royals were one of the worst teams in baseball a few seasons ago, but they took massive steps forward last season. Led by superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., the Royals pushed themselves to second place in the American League Central, good enough for a postseason berth and an ALDS appearance.
However, they've taken the same caliber of step backward this season. Through 78 games, the Royals are two games under .500 and a decent bit behind the Detroit Tigers in the division. This kind of drop off is crushing for the fanbase, but it's not the end of the world.
However, it could signal the Royals will look to sell at the trade deadline. With a young roster like the Royals have, there might not be too many players who could be dealt away, but the expiring players on the roster are certainly at risk of being dealt away. With that in mind, which Royals players are at risk of being dealt sooner rather than later?
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4. RHP Michael Wacha
When looking at the Royals roster, there aren't a lot of names that jump off the page at you as potential trade chips this season. It's unlikely the Royals will trade any of their young building blocks. Instead, these players will be kept as key pieces of the future, but the veterans, like starter Michael Wacha.
On the season, Wacha has been one of the more consistent starters in Kansas City. He's made 15 starts and holds a very respectable 3.24 ERA, 2.0 WAR, and 1.18 WHIP. The righty has been a very consistent force at the top of the rotation that's kept the Royals afloat this year.
But considering he's having such a good year, the Royals could look to dump his expensive contract while landing some solid prospects in return. Kansas City could free up nearly $20 million a year by trading him away this season. Given how solid he's been, the prospect return in a trade could be better than most expect.
3. Utility player Mark Canha
The Royals might not be the most aggressive team at the trade deadline because of the way their roster is configured. However, Kansas City still has some solid trade chips this season.
While there are a lot of players on the Royals roster who could be traded away because of their value in a trade, there are also some players on the roster who could and should be cut in the near future. One of those players is utilityman Mark Canha.
Canha, 36, is slashing .237/.303/.268 in one of the worst years of his career. He's been a negative WAR player for the season while not slugging much at all. Pair that with the fact that he's a veteran who's on his way out of the league and you have a prime cut candidate. If the Royals can add a player to take his place, Canha will be out of Kansas City in no time,
2. RHP Michael Lorenzen
Let's shift our focus away from the struggling players who are cut candidates and back onto the incredibly talented players who are playing themselves onto the trade block. Starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen has quietly been a great piece in Kansas City this season.
The 33-year-old hasn't been spectacular by any means, but he's eaten a lot of innings and provided the Royals with a pitcher who sets them up in competitive games every fifth day. Given the fact that the righty has an additional year with a $12 million mutual option on his contract, he may have more value than a traditional rental.
Either way, Kansas City should shop him. He could be a solid fifth starter for a team that's pushing for a postseason spot. The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers have been crushed with pitching injuries this season and could look to land Lorenzen.
1. RHP Seth Lugo
While the Royals don't have a lot of high value trade chips on their roster, pitcher Seth Lugo could fit the bill as a very valuable trade piece ahead of the deadline. The righty has been one of the better pitchers on the roster this season, but his expiring contract makes him a prime trade candidate.
Lugo currently holds a 2.93 ERA with a 2.1 WAR in 14 starts this season. In over 80 innings, he's allowed just 64 hits and holds an ERA+ of 141. A pitcher like this will be very coveted on the trade block this season, especially with all the injuries around baseball.
The aforementioned Dodgers and Yankees could make sense as a trade landing spot. Teams like the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and San Francisco Giants could also use some pitching depth. At the end of the day, contending teams are typically buying pitching. Because of this, the Royals could land a very good return for their righty.