3 ways the KC Royals could fumble 2023 MLB trade deadline

Not be active sellers.

I cannot stress this enough. From my perspective, not many teams will have J.J. Picollo's phone going crazy over guys like Olivares and Nicky Lopez. They have value, sure, but the Royals need to let teams know that they can not only move such players but that they want to do so. Need to do so even.

The Royals can provide contenders with some budget options, players with minimal contracts, or ones that do not require a hefty return. By my assessment, there are eight teams remaining in the AL Wild Card Race alone, or no more than six games back as of July 18. Any one of those teams may not want to go all-in ahead of the postseason, especially with so many horses in the race. A general manager who needs to at least look like he is trying or a shocking injury could press the issue more. The Royals could have a player that provides at least a temporary fix or insurance policy for both situations.

I am sure that general managers around MLB have plenty of players on their watchlist. After all, some teams have dedicated pro scouting departments to identify future free agents or trade targets. But, from a fan perspective, most Royals players are not at the top of any such list. Like a Memorial Day sale, Kansas City needs to make it known they are selling and willing to do business with nearly anybody.

"It really comes down to any club that has interest in our players," Picollo said. "How well do they match up? Do they have what we are looking for? You are clearly trying to get the best return that you can."

The Royals' front office is making it known, especially in the pitching corps, that they are not pigeonholing prospects anymore. The previous regime's extent of that affected what players they would even consider drafting or trading for before considering their performance at all. Picollo and crew sound more flexible and open to different options because you can always teach skill, but you can't teach talent.