Royals linked to second D-Backs outfielder, but this time it's hard to see the vision

The Kansas City Royals are riding the high of some recent momentum, having taken their third straight series and capping off July with a strong 15-9 record after a 1-0 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.

They've also been active on the trade market in so far, addressing some offensive needs, as well as ensuring their injury-ridden pitching staff doesn't weaken because of moves they made, by removing Seth Lugo from the trade block after extending him to a multi-year contract over the weekend.

Given their strong play and moves on the market, the Royals seem to be positioning themselves for a postseason push entering the final stretch of the 2025 campaign.

However, in order to put their best forward, they likely have to continue to explore further additions ahead of Thursday evening's trade deadline, specifically on offense. Their outfield seems to be the prime spot in the lineup to make such moves, with several names linked to them in recent weeks.

However while some suggestions might be strong logical fits, others seem to be more confusing. The latest example of a puzzling trade fit comes from a collective of writers from The Athletic, who deemed Arizona Diamondbacks' center fielder Alek Thomas as a potential fit for Kansas City.

Royals linked to second D-Backs outfielder, but this time it's hard to see the vision

Center field is certainly a spot that the Royals could due with an upgrade. Kyle Isbel, while having some redeeming qualities, is an overall net negative with the bat.

While the Royals might be enjoying their recent outfield addition from the D-Backs in Randal Grichuk, he provided a clear upgrade and it was easy to see a set role for him in their offensive scheme.

This really isn't the case with Thomas, as he bares far too many similarities to Isbel to really move the needle.

This season Thomas is slashing just .242/.291/.368 with a six homers, 27 RBI with an underwhelming 82 wRC+, but positive fWAR of 0.7, brought up by the fact he's a plus defender with 2 OAA.

However, Isbel has proven to be a similar type of player. Even if his wRC+ is lower, he strikes out far less and is a much better defender than Thomas.

The fact is the Royals already have Alek Thomas at home. Both him and Isbel are glove-first, below average left-handed hitting outfielders. The only things that really set Thomas apart from Isbel is a three-year age difference and an extra year of control - as he's not slated to become a UFA until 2029. But for a below average hitter like this, does age and control really matter all that much?

This screams of the type of deal J.J. Picollo said the Royals were working to avoid, when speaking with the media on Friday.

"We're not going to try to make something happen that's a bad decision for the organization," Picollo said.

If the Royals were to deal for Thomas, it seems as though it would be a deal just for the sake of making a deal. The Royals certainly can and should strive higher in their search for outfield reinforcements than a lackluster bat like Thomas.