May 30: The Royals have formally announced that Duffy has been placed on the 10-day DL, and Skoglund’s contract has indeed been selected from Omaha in a corresponding move.
The 24-year-old Skoglung was Kansas City’s third-round pick back in 2014 and entered the year ranked third and fourth, respectively, among Royals farmhands according to MLB.com and Baseball America. Both outlets call Skoglund a potential back-of-the-rotation arm, with MLB.com noting that he has a high floor. BA writes that he has three average pitches and excellent control but no plus offerings or a true out pitch.
Prior to his promotion, Skoglund had pitched to a 4.53 ERA with 8.2 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and a 45.3 percent ground-ball rate in 43 2/3 innings with Omaha. If he can get off to a decent start, it’s possible that he’ll pitch himself into the club’s 2018 rotation plans.
May 29: Royals left-hander Danny Duffy will be placed on the 10-day disabled list and miss the next six to eight weeks due to a grade one oblique strain, reports MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan (via Twitter).
The loss of Duffy, who leads the Royals in innings pitched and has the second-best ERA in their rotation, is yet another blow to a Kansas City club that has gotten off to a dismal 21-28 start to the season and currently sits in last place (6.5 games out of first place) in the American League Central. He’ll join rotation-mate Nate Karns on the 10-day DL.
It’s not immediately clear how they’ll replace him in the rotation, though Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star suggested earlier today (Twitter link) that Eric Skoglund, who was held out of his last start in Omaha, could make tomorrow’s start for the Royals. The team does not yet have a starter listed for that contest, as Karns was only recently placed on the disabled list. Now, with Duffy on the shelf, they’ll need to find a second option to add to the rotation.
For a Royals club that many expect to operate as a seller prior to the non-waiver trade deadline, the loss of one of its best arms for a considerable chunk of the season only seems to make an eventual sale likelier. Players such as Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar and Mike Minor are all free agents at season’s end, while Kelvin Herrera, Joakim Soria, Brandon Moss and Jason Hammel are all controlled through the 2018 season.
Who wants to get the Royals trade scenarios going?
Trade Cain and Hosmer. We could easily get 4 or 5 good to great prospects for them. Probably should trade Herrera as well. They need to sign Moose to a 5 or 6 year deal, sign Minor to a 2 or 3 year deal, and let Escobar walk at the end of the year. Wish we could dump Hammel, but his money is guaranteed 100%. Hammel should be moved to the bullpen and maybe Minor put into the rotation. Most of his career he has been a starter.
Easily get 4 or 5 great prospects for Cain and Hosmer? Are you nuts? The Royals won’t get that back on a great day. Cain is probably the pick of the two, but he’s underperforming, and Hosmer has a track record of mediocrity at a non-premium position.
And 5 or 6 years for Moose? Yikes.
“still competing” smh be realistic KC
On this date in 2014 the Royals were 6.5 games back and ended up in the World Series.
They also are much worse now
Lorenzo Cain and Kelvin Herrera for Fedde, Juan Soto and Andrew Stevenson
Jason Vargas for Cody Sedlock and Ryan Mountcastle
Moose for Marco Hernandez, CJ Chatham and Trey Ball
Hosmer for Dustin Fowler and Ian Clarkin
Mike Minor for Jandel Gustave
Greg Bird would beg to differ and that’s too much for Hosmer on a rental.
Jason Vargas isn’t going to bring in Mountcastle right now. He’s easily played his way into the spot as the organization’s top positional prospect (sorry Chance Sisco) with his monster numbers. Should be a top 50 prospect once the mid season rankings come out.
No way the Yankees trade Fowler for overrated Hosmer. They really like him. Only way he’s going somewhere is in a package for a starting pitcher
Glad to see Skoglund coming up. Been a fan of him since we drafted him outta UCF. Excited to see what he can do!
As a Royals fan, I know they need to sell. Contending will not happen this year, so they need to get as many prospects as they can. Hosmer should be traded and the organization should give O’hearn a chance. He has been hitting pretty well in the minors. Also give some of the pitching prospects some major league time at the end of the season to see what they have. Bubba starling has also been on a hit streak so maybe he is finally panning out.
Dozier?
Vargas to Astros for Tucker and so on?
Moose to Mets for Montero and so on?
Hosmer to Brewers?
I don’t see any way the Astros would do that.
Astros need another SP to slide in with Dallas and Lance.. if it’s ahead or behind Lance.
Vargas isn’t a sexy name, but he is pitching great so far.
Yes, they do, and yes, he is. But there is no way the Astros are giving up an excellent OF prospect for a 34 year old rental – especially one that barely pitched 50 innings the last 2 years combined. Maybe it’d be plausible if the OP suggested Fisher instead of Tucker, but even that may be pushing it with how well Fisher has been playing so far this year.
Hosmer to the Brewers? That would make zero sense. They’re not going to the playoffs and they have Eric Thames at 1B
0-3
Thames is their 1b , and their best player.
Bubba Starling has been on a hit streak? He is hitting .221 with 2 home runs and 9 rbi for the entire season. Starling sucks and was a horrible first round draft choice. And to think that Anthony Rendon, Archie Bradley Jr, Joe Panik, Sonny Gray, Francisco Lindor, and George Springer were all drafted after Starling………
Hey
Moose to the Red Sox for Michale chavis and trey ball and yoan aybar
The Yankees would be a perfect fit for Hosmer. They need a better first baseman and they have 2 top prospects that the Royals could use: OF Blake Rutherford and SS/2B Jorge Mateo
They aren’t getting that for hosmer
There are other 1b’s that at this point that will provide absolutely better production. I’m not sure they deem a trade for Hosmer is worth it in the end. He’s just another piece to a lineup he’s not really a guy teams will look to to carry a lineup. That’s kind of an issue at 1b.
That is comical a rental of hosmer for Blake Rutherford AND Mateo good luck making any trade if that’s what your looking for
Bird is coming back and even if he struggles it wouldn’t be worth you’re crazy trade idea! Sure the Royals could use them,but so could a lot of other teams. Rutherford is pretty untouchable. How about Mateo,cash, and a ptbnl for Moose?
lorenzo cain to washington
moose to boston
no one will take Hos because he’s not very good.
send relievers and Vargas to the highest bidders