The Royals are not done shopping for starting pitching, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (via Twitter). Kansas City is “still pursuing” rotation pieces for the coming season, per the report.
It’s not immediately clear what level of arm would be of interest to the Royals, whose biggest moves this winter have been the signings of reliever Joakim Soria (three years, $25MM) and starter Chris Young (two years, $11.5MM). In addition to the staff, K.C. is looking for at least one corner outfielder and could conceivably look to improve at second base.
As things stand, Young appears set to slot in alongside Danny Duffy and Kris Medlen at the back of the rotation. Righties Edinson Volquez and Yordano Ventura will presumably front the staff, which lost Johnny Cueto to free agency (as was widely expected).
There are some other depth pieces, including minor league free agent Dillon Gee, but it’s not hard to see the appeal of another arm to compete this spring and provide options during the year. After all, the club will be without Jason Vargas for most or all of 2016 as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. And it gave up some promising, near-MLB arms last summer in the deals that landed Cueto and Ben Zobrist (see here and here).
There are certainly still plenty of options to choose from for GM Dayton Moore and his staff. At the top of the market, Wei-Yin Chen, Yovani Gallardo, and Ian Kennedy remain unsigned, though all would cost a draft pick to add.
Market is getting thin when Kennedy is among the best available. I expect the trade market to pick up a bit; SD, TB, and Cleveland have been known to have arms available. With a few organizations still with fairly large holes to fill.
Feel like the Marlins are lurking out there with a splashy move or two
I could see them checking in with Cleveland on either Salazar or Carrasco.
I don’t think the Royals have near enough to acquire either one, especially when you factor in the addition price tag being in the same division. Their farm system isn’t the greatest anymore.
I think he was alluding to the Marlins, based off my previous comment.
Yeah, you’re probably right. My mistake. I think the Marlins and Indians could match up well. Ozuna + some prospects seems reasonable for Salazar.
Marlins farm is very weak.
seamaholic……..Ozuna isn’t a “farm hand”…..He’s a bona-fide MLB player with plenty of talent and a huge upside. Marlins have enough talent in the minors to add to Ozuna and get a front line SP…..if they want to. I don’t believe that they do that, however…..I think they’ll use him to re-stock the farm (somewhat)
Don’t be shocked to see the Marlins sign Ian Kennedy. Even though attached to the draft pick, the Marlins have little pitching especially after letting Alvarez walk(drunk move) and having little besides Fernandez.
Who else is tired of hearing how great the Indians pitching staff is
Could definitely see the Marlins moving in on a couple of the remaining pitchers with severely backloaded contracts and then likely trading them in a year or two. Something like 6,9,19,19,19 for Chen and 4,6,16,18 for Gallardo. (Note that I don’t they they’ll get quite as much as has been projected but the concept still stands if you want to add $10m+ to their totals.)
Very Loria like contracts…
Not like they couldn’t have already gotten a solid starter.. Boston offered Wade Miley, affordable another 3y for kelvin Herrera and KC countered with Hochever, who walks after 2016. Boston got Carson Smith from Seattle, every bit the equal of Herrera and under team control 5 more seasons.
Have to give up something to get dependable starters who can go 200 innings, not guys with 1y left coming back from TJ
Hold on there big fella…..I’m not sure Carson Smith is the “equal” to Herrera. I’ll grant you that Smith had an excellent year last year, no doubt at all. But he and Herrera are the same age and Herrera has had 4 excellent years with the Royals, not 1 as Smith had with the Mariners. I’ve got to believe if Smith is “equal” to Herrera then where’s he been hiding? And the Mariners didn’t seem to hesitate at all to trade him for Miley, a mid-level starting pitcher at best.
Seattle got a solid #3.. Maybe #4 at worst who will give them 200 good innings and Boston got the top notch reliever they were seeking in exchange, which was the best reliever seattle had and a back end starter also in Elias. Boston wanted Herrera from KC, which needed another solid starter to replace losses and could have more easily afforded that loss over trying to fish around the bottom end guys currently available, whom they will have to now.
It’s no biggie here. Was just pointing out that Miley was worth much more than 1y of Hochever is all, as the trade ended up with Smith and Elias proves. Had to give up something to get a decent starter. Not only has quality relief price gone up, but so has starting pitching that guarantees innings and believe Miley’s overall numbers in a pitching friendly stadium would/will vastly improve now that half his games are away from hitter friendly stadiums for the 1st time in his MLB career.
Being a Mariners’ fan, I loved Carson Smith. But even I’ll admit that Herrera is better than Smith because he has a more consistent track record. Not bashing Smith, but Herrera has proven to be an effective reliever and plays well in the postseason. Smith is still getting his feet wet and hasn’t tasted the postseason yet so we don’t know how he’ll perform. KC’s counter offer was bad, but Boston’s initial offer was too much.
KC’s counter offer wasn’t really that bad. Boston had interest in Hochevar before. Why not counter with someone Boston wanted in the past?
They need to go for Kennedy or Gallardo. Cheaper than Chen. Plus they get a draft pick for losing Gordon.
I would pass on Gallardo and Kennedy, neither are worth the pick plus the salary they will command. Fister, Masterson, or Latos on one year make good deals makes sense. Arroyo, Lee, and Lohse also fit in the Chris Young rejuvenation on a winner narrative
Kennedy is ridiculously underrated on this board (and others). His peripherals were really intriguing the last two years (9.3 k/9 both seasons … that’s elite level), and were marred by an insane HR/FB ratio that is not likely to be repeated. Plus he’s durable and not too old. Would be a great get for a defensive minded team in a big park like KC.
I can see him as underrated; thanks for pointing out the I rate, would not have thought it. I see the HR/FB ratio as a coarse correction from the previous season which was equally insane in the other direction.
I just don’t see him as more than a solid 4. Definitely has a place in a team, I still can’t see him outpitching a 4/60 deal with a pick ($8-10M value?). Get him for less than $50M and I think I could but into it. Could be a prime candidate for one of the ever popular opt out deals.
*k rate, darn autocorrect with no edit option…
No “Edit” button…….and no “Like” button any longer…….”What were they thinking?”……smh
+1
Cliff Lee might be a very interesting pickup if he can stay healthy (and regain his form). He won’t come cheap (for a long-shot)…..asking for somewhere around 3/$21 mil to make his comeback…..$7 mil isn’t bad, but the 3 years is excessive at this point (no workouts to speak of yet)…….
Who reported 3/21? I haven’t seen that anywhere.
I assume that if he wanted to play that much longer he’d start with a one-year deal. If he pitched well he could easily make more in two years than the deal you mention would have him make in three.
They haven’t lost Gordon yet. As long as his official team is “Free Agent” there is still a chance. The Royals are offering longer terms than the White Sox are willing to go and the longer he is out there as a free agent, the more likely his price will drop.
I would be surprised if they signed a QO free agent. I see them going the cheap route, as it’s what got them there. Latos or Fister types are the market for them thru Free agency. Mark Buehrle might be a source of unspectacular but reliable innings for them, if he doesn’t retire. Alfredo Simon?
Agree 100%. I could see them making a play for Sierra as well, upside gamble that could be worth it with their depleted farm
I hope the pirates could make a run at latos, the perfect fit to rebuild his value
Latos and Fister both look like candidates for the Pirates to “rebuild”…….at affordable rates….
Draft picks aren’t the priority right now…winning is. Royals can pick up plenty of draft picks after 2017 when they can’t afford to sign everyone. You can’t compete consistently in a small market, you have to go in bursts and take your championships when you can. Sign Gallardo or Kennedy…they aren’t crazy expensive and we need another veteran starter now. Better now than trading at the deadline and really depleting what we have let in the minors. Royals are championship caliber for 2 more years.
The problem is that Gallardo and Kennedy aren’t markedly better than Latos and Fister.
If they wanted to go big on Chen with a heavily backloaded deal (regardless of win-now-ness, they probably can’t afford to pay an additional starter more than $10m this year, if even that) then I’d say maybe go for it. But again, I don’t even know how much better than those guys Chen is. Fister from a couple of years ago is maybe the best of the bunch; I know his velocity is down but he seems smart enough to use the big ball park, strong defense, and his nigh Chris Youngian frame to find success again.
Hochever looked solid in the postseason, especially in the World Series. I would like to see him work his way in and out of the rotation.
Hoch was tried in the rotation and didn’t make it. He’s been really effective in the pen and found his niche. I wouldn’t mess with it. Davis started in the rotation too and didn’t do well. Sometimes pitchers are meant to be relievers.
This. Sort of. Hoch had TJ and lost his control because of it, so they tossed him to the pen so he could unload. He was always meant to be a starter, and he was a good one in the minors.
I would like the Royals to go out and try Lincecum.
All three guys mentioned for the Royals are typical Royals acquisitions. None are Ace quality, but all are innings eaters and on that team that’s what they need.