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Kansas City Royals Acquire Jonny Gomes From Braves

By John Viril

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The Kansas City Royals traded for outfielder Jonny Gomes just hours before the August 31 deadline to acquire players from outside the organization and still have them eligible for post-season play, according to Fox Sports writer Ken Rosenthal:

In return, the KC Royals sent 22-year-old shortstop prospect Luis Valenzuela to Atlanta.

The 34-year-old Jonny Gomes has been suffering through a tough season in Atlanta, hitting only .223/.327/.368 with seven home runs in 192 at bats. Gomes, however, has hit left-handed pitchers very well over his career with a .275/.379/.484 triple slash. This trend has continued in 2015 with five of his seven home runs coming against southpaws for a .247/.412/.466 slash line and healthy .878 OPS.

Gomes brings both patience and pop to the KC Royals. He has hit 162 home runs in his 13-year career, along with an excellent 10.4% walk rate.

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Jonny Gomes figures to become a bench bat against left-handed pitchers, and could possibly see action in the starting lineup if RF Alex Rios goes into another swoon at the plate. Acquiring Gomes appears to be an attempt to address the Kansas City Royals weakness against left-handed pitching.

Acquiring Johnny Gomes probably pushes rookie Paulo Orlando off the playoff roster, and all but kills the hopes of AAA outfielders Jose Martinez and Brett Eibner to get September call-ups. Manager Ned Yost is sure to want his new acquisition to get as many at bats as possible to get acclimated. Gomes is on a one-year, $4 million deal: but has a $3 million option that could vest for 2016.

KC Royals general manager Dayton Moore really is all-in for 2015.

Luis Valenzuela was hitting an impressive .339/.368/.483 at single A Lexington in his first exposure to full-season ball. For his minor-league career, Valenzuela has hit .291/.330/.410 after signing with the Red Sox as an international free agent from the Dominican Republic in 2012. The Kansas City Royals acquired him in 2013.

Despite Valenzuela’s strong performance at Lexington, he was locked behind no. 1 overall prospect Raul Adalberto Mondesi, Orlando Calixte, and Marten Gasparini at shortstop in the KC Royals system.

Valenzuela becomes the sixth prospect that Dayton Moore has dealt in tweaking his roster for the 2015 post-season.  Kansas City Royals fans just need to enjoy the ride in 2015 and worry about the cost tomorrow, because that’s what the front office seems to be doing.

Next: Potential September Call-ups

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