3 too-early trade partners that make too much sense for KC Royals

The KC Royals need help. The on-field product in the past week has proven that. While fans should still believe in this team's playoff chances, they cannot ignore the massive gaps in this team's roster. The gaps that allow nine-run innings, the gaps that force offensive lapses, the gaps that prevent many Royals fans from believing this team is different.

The KC Royals are already looking at ways to improve this 2024 roster.

Kansas City still sits multiple games above .500, offering a comfort many MLB teams are unacquainted with currently. But the gap between the Royals and the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians continues to grow wider and wider. May's rough ending for the Royals only helped that gap grow. But, that stretch showed this team where they need to improve and urgently do so.

The MLB trade deadline is less than two months away, falling on July 30 this year. General manager J.J. Picollo was active at his first deadline leading the franchise, making five trades from July 31 to August 1, but many more well before the clock struck twelve.

Kansas City landed James McArthur on May 8, setting a precedent for early activity from the Picollo-led Royals. Now in June, could Kansas City make up some lost ground? The outfield and bullpen are in desperate need of new faces, but the Royals do not have much expendable talent to trade for the sake of trading. If they need to get ahead of the market to get their guy, the Royals need to.

Kansas City came to the table too late once already this year and missed out on possibly acquiring Luis Arráez. They cannot afford to make the same mistake again. Any trade takes two to tango, so here are some sensible dance partners this far ahead of the trade deadline.

Los Angeles Angels

Possible targets: OF Taylor Ward, OF Kevin Pillar, RHP Hunter Strickland, RHP Hans Crouse

The Royals already traveled to Anaheim for a series against the Los Angeles Angels, giving Kansas City a closer look at some quality trade deadline targets. Los Angeles is mired in MLB's basement, gutting their fans who hoped to turn a page after Shohei Ohtani's departure. Outfielder Mike Trout's absence leaves this team without a soul and firmly last in the AL West.

The Angels gave Kansas City a great fight, thanks mostly to batters Jo Adell and Willie Calhoun. Both were frustrating powerhouses at the plate then, but have cooled off considerably. Kansas City should look to their fellow outfielders for some help, with varying levels of trade package prices.

Taylor Ward is one of the Angels' best players this season, but that is a low bar. Still, his 122-wRC+ bat would play well in the Royals lineup and be an immediate improvement in the lineup's lower half. He is vastly underperforming his expected stats, so would a trade partner buy low and look to Ward booming?

If Kansas City wanted a rental option, Kevin Pillar is their guy. The 35-year-old veteran is not in his athletic prime, but his booming bat has him on pace for a career year. Pillar is slashing .337/.385/.600 across 105 plate appearances this year, with six home runs and 25 RBI. He can play all the outfield positions but would slot best in left field so Kansas City could cycle through right fielders.

The Angels bullpen is one of MLB's worst, but that doesn't mean they lack one or two quality options. The best fit for Kansas City has to be veteran Hunter Strickland. The 35-year-old is on pace for a career year, thanks to a revamped slider. He doesn't induce whiffs at an elite rate, but he demonstrates above-average command and should be available for cheap.

Hans Crouse is my minor-league target, and Kansas City could give him another MLB opportunity. The former Philadelphia Phillies top prospect joined the Angels in a minor-league contract this past offseason and has done nothing but shove since. His 39.5% strikeout rate is turning heads, but his lack of walks and high groundball rate make me believe in him.

Colorado Rockies

Possible targets: LHP Jalen Beeks, RHP Nick Mears, RHP Riley Pint, UTL Hunter Goodman

Let's keep the trade partners out west, looking now to the Colorado Rockies. The NL West team is battling with the Miami Marlins for the last-place spot in the National League, something the 2023 Royals can relate to. Colorado general manager Bill Schmidt is still retooling this team and its farm system, yet another point Kansas City fans can relate to.

The Rockies are a carcass of an MLB team, with little meaningful scraps for trade partners to pick. However, that makes them a worthwhile early trade partner if they seek to sell high on a particular player, rather than wait two months for their value to change. Outfielder Charlie Blackmon will be a popular name, but Colorado moving on from their veteran face seems unlikely. Besides, Kansas City couldn't carry Hunter Renfroe, Nelson Velázquez, and Blackmon...right?

Jalen Beeks is a lefty reliever Kansas City could look at, if their faith in Sam Long or outlook on Walter Pennington waivers. He is far from a strikeout-dominant lefty but limits quality contact well and would benefit from playing in pitcher-friendly Kauffman Stadium.

Righty Nick Mears is far better than his ERA or record suggest, striking out batters at a healthy clip, and inducing groundballs more often than not. His walks are a trade-off for a powerful fastball, but Kansas City can also work with his secondary pitches. Again, he and Riley Pint aren't a premiere addition but a supplemental one.

Goodman is the only young bat in Colorado that could fit in Kansas City, both for roster fit and price range. His career so far shares many features with MJ Melendez unfortunately, right down to the "catcher turned outfielder" story. Still, his power is tantalizing, has plenty of team control, and has better results than Melendez this season.

Colorado is only a trade partner if Kansas City wants low-leverage trades, not the splashy ones this fanbase craves. The Rockies are a bad team, plain and simple. The Royals should exploit that while they can if they identify a great fit in their 2024 plans.

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