KC Royals: Two trade acquisitions who should not return next season

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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.

Taylor Hearn

This trade would look bad no matter how Nicky Lopez played for the Atlanta Braves. But, with Lopez's hot start in Atlanta, Hearn's poor performance in Kansas City only looks worse.

The Royals are Hearn's third organization in as many months, never a good sign for a player. The Texas native could not stay with his home state Texas Rangers, made one appearance for the Braves, and then landed in Kansas City. There is nothing wrong with taking a flier on a player, but the fact that Kansas City gave up Lopez for Hearn rightfully fired fans up.

A fan favorite and vocal leader in the clubhouse, Lopez was not productive for the 2023 Royals but still had some value on such a young team. Hearn might have some positive impact inside the Royals clubhouse, but nothing like Lopez's.

Turns out Hearns's value on the diamond is lower than Lopez's as well. In only eight appearances, Hearn has allowed seven earned runs. That is not what any team should be trotting out of the bullpen. His 5.35 FIP as a reliever does not inspire much confidence. While he does pitch for strikes and has a decent 9.39 K/9, opponents are all over Hearn's fastball this season.

Hearn is arbitration-eligible for 2024, but why should the Royals sink more money into the already journeyman pitcher? Unless the team works heavily with him this offseason and know something fans cannot see, Hearn needs to go.

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

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

Tucker Davidson

Taylor Hearn

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