Grading the first two KC Royals 2024 MLB Trade Deadline deals

Judging in-season baseball trades isn't easy. The task is at its most complicated for MLB trade deadline deals soon after they're consummated when no significant post-trade performance data is available. Such is the case with the four swaps the KC Royals pulled off before this year's deal deadline passed early Tuesday evening.

Baseball writers, however, can't resist the challenge of immediately evaluating those transactions, as Kings of Kauffman's Jacob Milham proved earlier today by handing out these grades for Kansas City's Tuesday acquisitions of pitcher Lucas Erceg and infielder Paul DeJong; I offer even more proof here by assigning marks to the other two deadline deals involving the Royals. In case you missed those, the club picked up reliever Hunter Harvey from Washington and starter-reliever Michael Lorenzen from Texas.

The Hunter Harvey trade kicked things off for the KC Royals

KC Royals receive: Pitcher Hunter Harvey

Washington receives: Cayden Wallace and a draft pick

After improving his club with a series of good offseason trades and free agent signings, Kansas City general manager J.J. Picollo ventured into trade deadline season looking to add to his bullpen and strengthen his offense. He took the first step toward accomplishing the former goal when, just before the annual amateur draft opened July 14, he dealt the Royals' extra pick, a Competitive Balance A selection to be made between the first and second rounds, and hot third base prospect Cayden Wallace to Washington for Harvey.

It was the first of what proved to be four trades the Royals made before the trade curtain dropped for the rest of the season. Giving up a Competitive Balance pick was something the club has done before — it was the sole consideration it sent Atlanta to get Drew Waters and a pair of minor leaguers two seasons ago. Giving up one draft pick wasn't hard then and wasn't two weeks ago.

Trading Wallace, though, had to have been more difficult for the Royals. Rated at the time as KC's second-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, his .350 OBP, .282 average, three homers, and 16 RBI in 34 games at Double-A Northwest Arkansas had him on track for a promotion to Triple-A Omaha this season, and to Kansas City perhaps as early as late next year.

But it's long been apparent that the playoff race the Royals have been in since the season began can't be won without improving the bullpen. Value isn't obtained without sacrificing value, and that's what Picollo did with his mud-July deal with the Nationals: Washington wasn't going to give up Harvey, who posted sub-3.00 ERAs for the past two campaigns (2.52 in 2022 and 2.82 last year), and a cumulative 3.42 ERA from 2019-2021. Walks are things he doesn't often give up, and he has a knack for striking out hitters.

So, Kansas City's first deadline-period deal cost it a draft pick (we'll never know on whom the club might have used it) and a good infielder who seemed headed for a bright Kauffman Stadium future. In return the Royals received a proven reliever when they need one. And although he's yielded two runs in the 3.2 innings he's pitched since coming to the club, he'll likely find smoother sailing soon and give the Royals a good bit of the bullpen help they require.

Grade: B

Will this season's trade with Texas be as good as last year's?

KC Royals receive: Pitcher Michael Lorenzen

Texas receives: Pitcher Walter Pennington

Last season's late June deal Picollo engineered with the Rangers has proven to be one of the best in recent franchise history. The Royals sent reliever Aroldis Chapman to Texas for Cole Ragans (and outfield prospect Roni Cabrera); Chapman reached the World Series, and Ragans became one of Kansas City's best starters.

Time will tell whether Monday afternoon's deal that brought Lorenzen to Kansas City for promising reliever Walter Pennington will prove as successful for Kansas City. It cost the Royals dearly — 6-3 with a 2.26 ERA and two saves at Omaha this year, Pennington was one of the best relievers in the organization and was a lock to return to Kansas City (he pitched two-thirds of an innng for the Royals earlier this month) when Picollo did the deal. That's why few saw this one coming.

But as was the case with Harvey and the Nationals, the Royals weren't going to land a valuable asset like Lorenzen without giving Texas something good in return. And, as I covered in more depth soon after yesterday's trade was announced, Lorenzen should be quite valuable to Kansas City. He's a successful seasoned veteran who's started and relieved, and done both fairly well. He gives the Royals a unique double-barrel mound weapon, a pitcher they can call on just about any time to do anything. when they need pitching help to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Despite losing Pennington, the latest Royals-Rangers deal also gets a B.

Grade: B

More KC Royals News