KC Royals players (and prospects) who should already be on the trade block 3 weeks into the 2023 season

The KC Royals are still in the infancy of what could be a very long 2023 season. Sure, 162 games from March to September is already a lot, but this team could cause a whole host of headaches. An embarrassing April 10 loss to the Texas Rangers has removed any previous goodwill the Royals accrued. It is a frustrating time to be a fan of the Royals.

The common theme over the past few Royals seasons has been fans clamoring for trading away veteran players. The team has done that successfully in the past calendar year, getting prospects in return for players like Andrew Benintendi and Michael A. Taylor. Those two, and other miscellaneous players, are hardly MLB superstars but the Royals jettisoned them in return for players that could contribute in their next competitive window. It is hardly glamorous and remains an annual part of Royals' mediocrity.

The KC Royals may not be splashy this trade deadline, but they have plenty of options that could interest contending teams.

The 2023 Royals could once again be sellers at the trade deadline, or in the coming months. The team does feature some low-level trade targets and ones that could help contenders bolster their supporting staff. Royals fans are all over trading away infielder Hunter Dozier, ending a player-team marriage that has not worked for years. But, that unlikely move would be once in a million and do little to move the Royals roster needle. The Royals actually finding a trade partner for Dozier is a flitting fantasy that needs to be forgotten.

Well, that was happy.

Outside of Dozier, there are some Royals players fans could see rumored to be on the move. While one is an expendable veteran, the other two options would be signs of bigger moves from the Kansas City Royals. Who are they, and why would another team trade for them?