KC Royals: Four Possible August Trade Additions

The KC Royals have pulled back into the race by winning 13 of their last 16 games. Could general manager Dayton Moore help out his team with an August trade acquisition?

With one week to go before the September 1 deadline for players to eligible for the post-season, the Kansas City Royals will need to make a trade in the final week of August if they are to add players than can help in the playoffs.

Teams can still make deals past the non-waiver trade deadline. The key difference is that the players involved must clear waivers before they are dealt. Or, alternatively, a team can put a player on revocable waivers; and, if someone claims him, they can cut a deal with the claiming team. Note that teams in the same league get waiver priority, so it’s easier to make trades with teams in your own league.

Just what kind of help could the Kansas City Royals use? The short answer is the KC Royals would like to find a fifth starter, offensive help at second base, and perhaps a platoon bat for Paulo Orlando in right field.

Players The KC Royals Won’t Add

First, let’s talk about some players that might be available, but I don’t think the Kansas City Royals will get. Yes, James Shields has cleared waivers, but would the KC Royals want him? Shields has an awful 5.98 ERA this season, with an even worse 7.49 ERA since returning to the American League when the White Sox acquired him from the Padres in June.

Scott Kazmir cleared waivers, but the Los Angeles Dodgers just put him on the disabled list. He’s struggled this season anyway, putting up a 4.59 ERA in the National League. Ervin Santana would be a nice pickup, but he’s got two years remaining on his deal and I doubt Minnesota wants to help a division rival obtain more pitching.

On to my possible August trade targets:

Next: Trade Target No. 4

3. Nick Markakis

Atlanta’s Nick Markakis has cleared waives and thus is available. The Braves have already dealt outfielder Jeff Francouer for two prospects in a three-way deal with the Rangers and Marlins. Why wouldn’t they also cash in Markakis?

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Getting Markakis would be an insurance policy against a late-season crash from second year outfielder Paulo Orlando. While Orlando is slashing a solid .315/.341/.420, his high .397 BABIP and relative lack of experience make some analysts wonder when his bubble will burst. Even with his inflated batting average, Fangraphs.com rates him as a slightly above average offensive player with a 102 wRC+ (runs created).

If Dayton Moore shares that skepticism, he could bring in Markakis as a veteran, league-average lefty bat that could become a platoon partner for Orlando. I’d expect Moore to send down outfielder Billy  Burns if the Royals add Markakis.

The Problem With Nick Markakis

The problem is, Markakis is hardly an exciting option. He’s hitting .273/.346/.399 with a mere 9 home runs in 479 at bats for the Braves this season. However, his .346 OBP would make him a solid leadoff candidate for the Kansas City Royals.

Another issue is that Markakis has two-years and $22 million remaining on his contract after the end of the 2016 season. The KC Royals might not want to add that much salary with many of their core players hitting free-agency after the 2017 season. That money might be better spent keeping selected players in Royals Blue rather than paying a 32-year-old outfielder.

Next: Trade Target No. 2

2. Logan Forsythe

The Royals need more on offense from second base. Raul Mondesi Jr. possesses terrific raw skills, but his bat just isn’t ready for major-league baseball. His .200/.218/.300 slash line is a black hole at the bottom of the lineup.

If we list veteran second baseman that could help boost the Kansas City Royals offense, then Logan Forsythe might top the list. He plays for the Tampa Bay Rays who are out of the race at 54-72. He’s hitting a very nice .276/.340/.472. Forsythe’s under contact at $2.25 million for 2016, which means the KC Royals would be on the hook for less than $600k. Plus, he’s got another year remaining on his current deal at $7 million.

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That’s the rub. Someone is likely to claim Logan Forsythe on waivers before the Kansas City Royals would get a shot at him.

Otherwise, his .276 with 21 doubles, 2 triples, and 16 home runs would look great at the top of the Royals lineup. He’s even a solid defender at second base with a 0.4 dWAR in 2016. Overall, he’s been worth 3.1 bWAR in 2016.

If the Rays were willing to deal Forsythe, they probably would have already done so before the trade deadline. Ok, I suppose it was a bit silly for me to list him here. I just think he’d be the perfect fit in the KC Royals lineup if Dayton Moore could somehow pull off mass hypnosis of his peers around the league to get him through waivers.

Next: Trade Target No. 1

1. Brandon Phillips

A more realistic second base option that could get through waivers is 35-year-old Brandon Phillips. The venerable 3-time All-Star for the Cincinnati Reds is due a little over $3 million for the rest of 2016, and $14 million in 2017. Teams might balk at that price for an aging middle infielder like Phillips.

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However, Phillips is still a useful player with a .282/.318/.402 slash line in Cincinnati this season .He doesn’t possess the 30/30 power-speed combo that made him a superstar earlier in his career, but Phillips can still help score runs. He’s also still a league-average defender at second base, and has been worth 0.6 bWAR (Baseball-Reference Wins Above Replacement) so far in 2016.

That WAR value might be a bit understated due to the big downgrade for playing in the Great American bandbox in Cincinnati for half his games. At this point, Phillips has nothing more than gap power and consistency at the plate. I suspect he’d still hit in Kauffman Stadium, and wouldn’t suffer the downgrade that WAR is presuming due to the high park factors in Cincinnati.

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If Phillips could get through waivers, and Dayton Moore was willing to meet the Reds price, Phillips would be a solid stick in a KC Royals offense that could use the help. He’s also a big-name player that could give the clubhouse a shot of confidence heading into the season’s final five weeks.