KC Royals: 6 Trade Targets After Losing Moustakas, Gordon

The KC Royals could use some help after losing third baseman Mike Moustakas for the season. News came Thursday that Moustakas tore his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in his right knee after consulting an orthopedist. That help could come from the trade market.

Sunday’s collision between Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas turned from bad to devastating when the team learned Moose would miss the rest of the season. It was bad enough that Gordon will miss three to four weeks with a broken hand. General manager Dayton Moore’s immediate response was to summon outfielder Brett Eibner from Omaha.

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Kansas City Royals general manager Dayton Moore knows that the time for his team to win is now. His roster is filled with playoff-hardened veterans who already have won two AL pennants and one World Series title.

They also know they have a chance to go down in baseball history as a dynasty.

However, the Kansas City Royals have some obstacles when it comes to adding players on the trade market. Moore compromised their pitching pipeline when he dealt five left-handed hurlers for Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto last summer. The KC Royals also jacked up their payroll to a franchise-record $132 million last winter.

As a result, the Kansas City Royals don’t have a lot of trade chips and they can’t take on big salaries.

Rumors are already swirling that the KC Royals have expressed interest in Atlanta’s Nick Markakis and Cincinnati’s Jay Bruce, however those players have clear warts. Dayton Moore should explore moves for the following players who could provide more help:

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