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

4. Jorge De La Rosa

Thirty-five year old Jorge De La Rosa has a rather unimpressive 5.07 ERA in 110.0 innings pitched this season, but is coming off a strong eight inning, two-run performance on Sunday. He is in the last year of his contract, and is due $12 million this season. Thus, he has around $3 million remaining to be paid in 2016. 

More from Kings of Kauffman

• KC Royals Roster Moves: 3 players added, 1 re-signed
• KC Royals News: Awards, a new coach, and more
• Why the KC Royals could reunite with this old friend
• 3 outfielders the KC Royals should consider protecting
• Should the KC Royals call this championship exec?

He could pass waivers due to his mediocre performance this year, but could also get claimed for the same reason the KC Royals would be interested in the lefty: his solid 3.48 ERA in his last five starts.

Remember, also, that his 5.07 ERA this season is partly due to pitching in the thin air of Denver for his home starts. His adjusted ERA reflects his tough home park conditions. Even giving up more than five runs per game, he still rates as dead average (100 ERA+). While not impressive, a league-average arm to slot into the no. 5 position would be an improvement over Dillon Gee.

Another nice thing would be to bring back a former Kansas City Royals player from the dark ages of 2006-07 to play for the team when it’s winning. I’m sure Dayton Moore would like that.

Next: Trade Target No. 3

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.

More from Kings of Kauffman

• KC Royals Roster Moves: 3 players added, 1 re-signed
• KC Royals News: Awards, a new coach, and more
• Why the KC Royals could reunite with this old friend
• 3 outfielders the KC Royals should consider protecting
• Should the KC Royals call this championship exec?

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.

More from KC Royals News

• KC Royals Roster Moves: 3 players added, 1 re-signed
• KC Royals News: Awards, a new coach, and more
• Why the KC Royals could reunite with this old friend
• 3 outfielders the KC Royals should consider protecting
• Should the KC Royals call this championship exec?

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.

Next: 5 Things The KC Royals Need To Sneak Into The 2016 Playoffs

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.