KC Royals Trades: 3 Michael A. Taylor deals to consider

If asked, most KC Royals fans probably believe the team’s biggest trade chip is left fielder Andrew Benintendi, who’s having an excellent season. But there’s another Kansas City outfielder who could challenge Benintendi for most coveted Royal as the August 2 trade deadline gets closer.

Michael A. Taylor.

Michael A. Taylor stands to be the KC Royals’ biggest trade chip this summer.

Like Benintendi, Taylor has seen a massive turnaround at the plate this year. He’s slashing .274/.347/.405 going into tonight’s home series opener with Texas, and his batting average and OBP are on pace to be career highs for the veteran center fielder. His six defensive runs saved currently leads the Royals and ranks sixth among all major league outfielders, despite the fact he’s missed a chunk of the season.

Unlike Benintendi, however, Taylor probably won’t be just a rental for any team acquiring him. He’s affordably under contract for 2023 at just a minimum $4.5 million salary. So when Benintendi hits the open market as a free agent or cashes in on what should be a sizeable contract extension after this season, Taylor will likely remain under team control at good value.

Even if Taylor’s renaissance at the plate proves to be short-lived, he’ll remain a defensively elite center fielder. His major change in approach at the plate—a 10.2% BB% in 2022 vs. 6.3% in 2021—instills confidence that his new production at the plate may be here to stay.

What return might Kansas City expect in a Taylor trade?

A Michael A. Taylor trade might just trigger a needed KC Royals rebuild.

When evaluating Kansas City’s 2022 season, something mlb.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan reported Dayton Moore saying after the 2018 campaign comes to mind:

“When you say ‘rebuild,’ it creates the mindset or it builds in that it’s OK to lose ballgames. Major League players are paid to win baseball games. … I feel better going into the 2019 season. One of the things that changed is we stopped talking about the rebuild. It’s not OK to accept losing. You have to transition to compete and then transition to winning.”

But more than three years later, the team hasn’t transitioned to competing. Or winning. Is it time to finally admit the Royals need to actually rebuild? Absolutely.

That doesn’t mean the roster needs a traditional rebuild—a full tear-down isn’t required. Key pieces like Bobby Witt Jr., MJ Melendez, Daniel Lynch, and Brady Singer should be in KC to stay; the young core of this team is in place and starting to bloom.

Instead, a rebuild should focus on supplementing that young core, even if it means doing so with players that aren’t major league-ready. From 2016 through 2019, the front office seemed set on acquiring big league-ready talent that could contribute immediately, an approach that didn’t bear fruit.

The Royals won’t win this year, and maybe not next year. But as long as they begin getting talent that can improve the roster by 2024, they can turn things around.

It’s fine to call the process a small rebuild. And it can begin with trading Taylor.

Trading Michael A. Taylor could bring a new pitcher to the KC Royals.

Kansas City desperately needs pitching and a trade deadline deal, or deals, could supply it. Boston has a lefthander who could factor into talks about Taylor.

The Red Sox have made the playoffs just once since winning the 2018 World Series. Now, they’re 42-31 with the AL’s third-best record. But they’re still 11 games out of first place and need some help—center fielder Enrique Hernández is on the Injured List and hitting just .209 this season, and although prospect Jarren Duran has been good in 13 games (.327/.386/.500), the .215/.241/.336 he posted in 33 Boston games last year could be cause for concern.

Taylor might just do the trick for the Sox in this potential deal:

This trade gives Boston an outfield upgrade down the stretch and the Royals a good lefty pitcher. Walter, 25 and a 26th-round Boston pick in the 2019 amateur draft, is 12-8 with a 3.09 ERA in three minor league seasons. He’s struck out 246 batters (12.3 SO9) and walked only 35 (1.7 BB9) in 180.1 innings.

Walter’s MLB Pipeline scouting report says he “…has a better arsenal than any southpaw in Boston’s system and a high floor as at least a multi-inning lefty reliever. If he can build off his breakout season and improve his changeup, he might be significantly more than that.”

Tampa Bay may be a good Michael A. Taylor trade partner for the KC Royals.

Tampa Bay, like the Red Sox, trails New York by a large margin in the AL East. But last year’s American League champion still has reasons to be optimistic heading into the second half of the season.

The Rays are 40-32 and holding onto a Wild Card spot by two games. Despite their success, their outfield has been a different story this season. Long-time center fielder Kevin Kiermaier is on the IL and slashing only .229/.270/.380, and former Royal Brett Phillips has an OPS of just .497. As a group, Tampa’s outfielders are slashing a measly .239/.292/.366.

So, perhaps this trade could work for them and the Royals?

To upgrade their outfield with Taylor, the Rays deal Bitsko and Shenton, their 16th and 19th best prospects per MLB Pipeline, to Kansas City.

Shenton, originally drafted by the Mariners, was acquired by Tampa Bay last year when the Rays traded away reliever Diego Castillo, is slashing .236/.338/.415 in Double-A and owns a career .877 OPS in 185 minor league games. Bitsko, only 20, was Tampa Bay’s first-round pick in the 2020 amateur draft but missed the 2021 season. MLB Pipeline says he has “now” stuff and a fastball, curve, changeup and slider. He’s made three starts this year and is 0-1 with a 10.13 ERA.

Michael A. Taylor could bring a good return for the Royals in a trade deadline deal.