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Kansas City Chiefs’ trade deadline sparks memories of Royals' clutch 2015 pickups 

Sometimes you just have to take a chance.
ByMatthew Swigonski
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Nov 1, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; Kansas City Royals players celebrate on the field after defeating the New York Mets in game five of the World Series at Citi Field. The Royals win the World Series four games to one. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 1, 2015; New York City, NY, USA; Kansas City Royals players celebrate on the field after defeating the New York Mets in game five of the World Series at Citi Field. The Royals win the World Series four games to one. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Just minutes before the 4 p.m. ET trade deadline in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs threw a bit of a Hail Mary and acquired wide receiver Josh Downs from the Indianapolis Colts. The move won't exactly make national headlines, but it was a desperately needed addition that could make an enormous difference for the Chiefs down the stretch. With another target for quarterback Patrick Mahomes to throw to, the team’s offense could really take off. 

It's also a move that begs for a review of two of the best trades that the Kansas City Royals have ever made ahead of the MLB trade deadline. Much like the Chiefs in the AFC, the 2015 Royals were among the better teams in the entire league. With a 5.5-game lead in the AL Central, the 2015 Royals team had visions of returning to the World Series and getting over that final hump. 

Although that club was already built to compete with the best teams in the league, then-Royals general manager Dayton Moore knew that they needed a fresh wave of reinforcements to take things to the next level. As we know now, those reinforcements helped carry the Royals to their first World Series title since 1985. But why did they work out so well?

The 2015 Royals knew that they had a limited window of opportunity to win a World Series

This season, the Kansas City Royals decided to hold onto pitcher Michael Wacha, one of their most prized trade pieces throughout the season. He may have been able to fetch a decent haul of prospects in return, but the Royals clearly feel strongly about their chances of righting the ship in 2027. It remains to be seen if that was the right move. For some teams, holding onto their assets is their best bet. For others, taking a chance is their only path to success.   

In 2015, the Royals knew that they had to take a chance. Five days before the trade deadline, the Royals acquired pitcher Johnny Cueto from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for a trio of left-handed pitchers including Brandon Finnegan, Cody Reed, and John Lamb. For a pitcher that was never going to be more than a half-year rental, it was certainly a fairly steep price to pay. But Cueto was also the runner-up for the Cy Young in the NL in 2014, so that price was well worth the gamble. 

However, with a 4.73 ERA and 1.451 WHIP in 13 regular starts for the Royals, it seemed like the Cueto trade was a bit of a bust. His strikeouts also took a tumble, and his hits allowed per nine rate spiked to 11.2 in just 81.1 innings pitched in Kansas City. Those struggles even carried over into the postseason. Cueto was rocked for eight earned runs in a Game 3 loss in the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Fortunately for Cueto and the Royals, he erased all doubts about that trade with a complete-game gem against the Mets in the 2015 World Series. He led the Royals to a 7-1 victory and helped them secure a commanding two-game lead over the Mets. A lead that they would not surrender. Despite underperforming for the Royals for months, Cueto stepped up when it mattered the most. As a rule of thumb in baseball, winning cures all. 

Just two days after trading for Cueto, the Royals signaled to the league that they were not messing around. The club also acquired super utility player Ben Zobrist in a deal with the then-Oakland A’s. Once again, the team parted ways with young arms to make it all happen, sending Aaron Brooks and Sean Manaea to Oakland.

Zobrist sported a robust .284/.364/.453 slash line for the Royals in 232 regular-season at-bats in 2015. He also played all over the field, but spent most of his time at second base and in left field. That level of offensive production and versatility in the field carried over into the postseason. His 1.050 OPS in the ALCS against the Blue Jays was good for the second-best on the team. While he wasn't quite as good in the World Series, Zobrist was an immensely valuable component of the Royals' championship run. 

Will the addition of Downs to the Chiefs' offense help contribute to another Super Bowl title? That remains to be seen. But as we saw with the Royals in 2015, making timely moves around the trade deadline can have an incalculable impact when it matters the most. The 2026 Royals took a different approach to the trade deadline this season, but maybe that will pay off in a different way down the road.   

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