2 new KC Royals players who already look like a bust after MLB trade deadline

With more and more time passing since the MLB trade deadline, the KC Royals still look like winners. The team offloaded several veterans, such as relievers Scott Barlow and Aroldis Chapman, whose returns netted prospect value and immediate MLB help. Fans should feel good about the trades J.J. Picollo made this summer. Well, most of them at least.

The KC Royals need to move on from these players next season.

There were two big misses from the Royals, both executed shortly before the deadline. These deals both aged poorly and brought in two players who will hopefully not be on the 2023 Royals roster. They both had great opportunities to succeed in Kansas City, but neither player has made a positive impact. With five weeks to go in the season, this front office needs to be looking at the 2024 roster and who fits where. Every trade is a gamble, and these two did not pay off for the Royals.

Tucker Davidson

The Royals may have traded some spare change for Davidson, but the lefty is looking more like a DFA candidate than a player to trade for.

The trade was not terrible or one where the Royals gave up much to get Davidson, but there was some hope. The former 19th-round pick of the Braves carved out a nice bullpen role for the Los Angeles Angels earlier this season. The 6.54 ERA may not reflect that, but his more respectable 3.36 FIP exposed a better pitcher than the box score showed. That was the hope of fans, trying to find out why the Royals traded for Davidson in the first place.

In 10 games with the Royals, Davidson has allowed six earned runs and five walks with 10 strikeouts. The strikeout-to-walk ratio is not terrible, but allowing that many runs with that ratio is not going to cut it. He has a very strike split-finger and sweeper, but his main pitches, the fastball and slider, are not fooling opposing batters.

Not every arm in the bullpen can be shut out, but there have to be better options for next season. If the Royals are serious about improving the team, they should move on from Davidson after this season or even earlier if his performance declines.