2 KC Royals who should have been traded at the trade deadline

The KC Royals approached the trade deadline this year as clear sellers, and they acted as such. The Royals made five trades in the final 48 hours before the Aug. 1 deadline, with the two biggest trades coming in the final minutes. The last day's three trades all have various impacts on the Royals with differing reasons behind the moves. All in all, the Royals walked away from the trade deadline making several moves that needed to be made.

The KC Royals left more deals on the table at the trade deadline.

But, there is always room for more.

I am not saying the Royals needed to make these moves to have a successful trade deadline. I think they did, moving on from many players not factoring into the team's long-term plans. There are a few more players that fit that mold, have peaking value, or a bit of both remaining on this roster. There is no going back in time, but these moves on the fringes may have netted players better suited for the rebuilding Royals.

Pitcher Taylor Clarke

This may cause some questions, especially after Taylor Clarke just landed on the 15-day IL. But, that injury came after the trade deadline. The Royals may not have made Clarke available due to symptoms of an injury, which shows their integrity. But, if they didn't, I fail to see why Clarke is still in Kansas City.

Clarke doesn't excel in many things, but his 93rd-percentile ranking in chase rate among MLB pitchers is notable. His 9.59 K/9 rate is a career-best, but his 4.11 BB/9 rate is also a career-worst. He put together a decent string of appearances in July, building up his trade value. But, he remains in Kansas City. He is arbitration eligible in 2024, and the Royals may not be sold on retaining Clarke. I would have not complained about seeing a new addition to the Royals bullpen, namely Will Klein. But, if Clarke is still in Kansas City, the Royals may want to keep Clarke around next season.