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KC Royals: Five Best Starting Pitcher Trade Targets

John Viril|
Jun 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost (3) stands in the dugout in the second inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Kansas City Royals manager Ned Yost (3) stands in the dugout in the second inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
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May 29, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi (23) throws a pitch during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
May 29, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jake Odorizzi (23) throws a pitch during the first inning against the New York Yankees at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

4) Jake Odorizzi – Tampa Bay Rays

Odorizzi came to the KC Royals from the Milwaukee Brewers as part of the Zack Greinke trade. Odorizzi made his debut with Kansas City in the 2012 season, but the front office dealt him to Tampa Bay as part of the package they used to land James Shields and Wade Davis.

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The 26-year-old Odorizzi has become a pretty solid no. 3 starter for the Rays, putting up a 9-9, 3.35 ERA season with 169.1 innings pitched. Ordorizzi is on his way to his first 200 inning season this year, with a 2-3, 3.33 ERA and a 7.6 K/9 through 55 games in 2016.

Odorrizi would rank as a no. 2 starter on some teams if he had a track record of eating more innings, but he’s never thrown more than 169.0  IP in his career.

Odorizzi is young, cheap (he only hits arbitration next season), and solid starting pitcher that the Rays may decide to give up only because they enjoy a surplus at the position. However, with three remaining years of team control after 2016, he’s not going to come cheap.

The advantage of Odorizzi is that the Kansas City Royals know what they’re getting, since he spent two years in their system before the Shields trade. On the other hand, Odorizzi is likely to cost more in prospects than the KC Royals are willing to give for a guy that won’t headline their rotation. The upside is that the Royals would have two years of control past 2017, which means they could recoup some of their cost by dealing him.

Landing Odorizzi would certainly help this season, but I doubt he’s a guy that will carry a team through the playoffs. The Rays are also likely to want near-ready prospects. Perhaps Hunter Dozier and Jorge Bonifacio might fit that bill, but the KC Royals would also have to outbid other teams with deeper farm systems.

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