KC Royals Will Do Everything Possible To Improve Roster

The KC Royals intend to do everything in their power to improve the club as the trade deadline approaches, according to general manager Dayton Moore.

Moore told MLB Network’s Ken Rosenthal on Wednesday:

"“We want to move forward. That’s kind of how we’re wired,” Moore said. “We’re very confident and trusting in this group of players, that they will remain in a pennant race throughout the entire season. We’re going to do everything we can to improve our roster.”"

That statement shows that Moore is determined to go for it as the trade deadline approaches.

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This decision isn’t really surprising. Last July, Dayton Moore traded five pitching prospects to add Ben Zobrist and Johnny Cueto to a squad with the best record in the American League. This season, the KC Royals are only 47-46, Moore likens them to the 2014 team that fell to 48-50 before going on a second half run that earned them the AL’s top wild card spot.

The 2014 Kansas City Royals swept their way through the American League playoffs to earn a World Series appearance against the San Francisco Giants—whom they pushed to seven games before falling  short by one run.

The KC Royals, however, have yet to figure out exactly what they are going to do. Rosenthal wrote in his column on Wednesday:

"Moore said that he will meet with manager Ned Yost and ownership closer to the deadline to determine the team’s exact course. In the meantime, he and his assistants are laying the groundwork for deals, evaluating the trading landscape."

Last season, the Kansas City Royals got both the A’s and the Reds to pay the remaining portions of Zobrist and Cueto’s contracts. That arrangement meant that the KC Royals had to pony up a steeper price in prospects.

Given that the Kansas City Royals opened the season with a record $131.5 million payroll according to Cot’s Contracts, it’s very likely they will operate under similar financial constraints this season.

So, what does all of this mean? At the very least, it seems that the KC Royals will add a starting pitcher. Tuesday night, Brian Flynn suffered through a tough outing in which he surrendered three runs in 2.1 innings while auditioning to fill the no. 5 spot in the Kansas City rotation. Since Chris Young and Dillon Gee have failed to hold down that job, it seems the KC Royals will have to resort to the trade market to stabilize their rotation.

Don’t be surprised if the Kansas City Royals also swing a deal for a left-handed outfield bat to balance their righty heavy lineup. Candidates for such a deal include New York Yankee outfielder Carlos Beltran, Cincinnati’s Jay Bruce, and Oakland’s Josh Reddick.

Next: Brian Flynn Start Could Be Key To Deadline

Stay tuned KC Royals fans. It’s pretty clear that Dayton Moore is determined to make a trade.