While manager Ned Yost won’t be the one ultimately calling the shots prior to the non-waiver trade deadline, the Royals’ skipper didn’t mince words in a recent appearance with Casey Stern on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter link). Yost said the Royals are fully planning to function as buyers and not sellers over the next several weeks. “We’re going for this thing,” said Yost, whose Royals currently sit at 44-40 — a half-game back from the division-leading Indians. The Royals still have another 19 games before the non-waiver deadline, but they’ve certainly positioned themselves well over the past month or so, playing at a 22-10 pace since early June.
More from the division…
- Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander has seen his name pop up more and more on the rumor circuit, but the former AL Cy Young winner told reporters that he’s not at all focused on that possibility (via George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press). Moreover, Verlander’s comments suggest that, to this point, he has not been approached about the possibility of waiving his no-trade clause. “[GM Al Avila] has been very forthcoming with myself,” said Verlander. “He said don’t listen to everything that’s out there. If there’s anything that comes to fruition I’ll be the first to talk to you about it. Until or if that point comes, there’s nothing to think about really.”
- The Tigers announced today that left-hander Daniel Norris has been placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a left groin strain. Fellow lefty Blaine Hardy is up from Triple-A Toledo to take his spot on the active roster. Norris started yesterday’s game for Detroit and wouldn’t have been called upon again in the first half, so his first half would’ve been done anyway. Viewed through that lens, the move could be a procedural tactic, though MLB.com’s Jason Beck tweets that Norris is undergoing an MRI this morning to determine the injury’s severity, so there’s perhaps more at play here than simply getting an extra reliever on the roster for a few days on either end of the break.
- Though Twins players had a strong relationship with former GM Terry Ryan, Brian Dozier tells ESPN’s Scott Lauber that the club has quickly taken to chief baseball officer Derek Favley and GM Thad Levine. “They were always upfront with me, honest, and that’s one thing I respect more than anything,” said Dozier, one of this offseason’s most oft-discussed trade candidates. “…They’re always bouncing ideas off of us, from the biggest of things to the smallest of things, like not taking BP. They have a collaborative effort and find every possible solution to what’s going to make this thing work. That’s their best trait, I think.” Falvey spoke with Lauber about the team’s blend of scouting and a rapidly growing analytics practice. And, as Lauber writes, Falvey also isn’t taking the team’s status as contenders for granted. Echoing Levine’s recent comments about being open to adding long-term assets, Falvey told Lauber: “If we can find ways to add to that group that builds toward the future, that’s what we’ll look for.”
twins should look for some small pieces to add. the issues with this team isn’t the big pieces it’s thier worst players just get someone who’s better than Santiago, belisle, Etc…
Agreed the “bad” is attorcious, 1 innings Eater and a old vet to help off the bench
By “1 innings eater” do you mean relief pitcher?
He means 1 “innings eater” as in a SP
exactly just some good replacement leval players could help a ton maybe Jamie Garcia type for the rotation?? as long as it’s cheep.
No sense in selling low on Verlander. Wait. His velocity is there. There is no drop off in MPH from last year when he had a 1.00 WHIP and 245Ks and should have won the Cy Young.
He is likely tipping pitches and Cleveland figured it out. He has three horrible starts against them. It is beyond dumb bad luck that all three of his poor performances were against one team.
One of his three starts against Cleveland this year was fine (though the four walks in seven inning wasn’t great).
But, he’s also been torched by the Astros (6 runs, 9 hits, 3 walks in 5.2 IP) and had a pair of lackluster outings against the Twins and Angels (four runs apiece). Beyond that, the Red Sox and Mariners both got to him for three runs in under six innings.
Verlander’s velocity is fine, but his control is down (both BB/9 and first-pitch strike rate), which has adversely impacted his swinging-strike rate, chase rate and contact rates.
There’s more going on than just one team jumping him a few times this season. But to your general point, I do think they’d be better served to wait until the offseason if they’re going to look at it. (And if Verlander is even amenable to approving a trade, which is a huge “if”)
Thanks for the correction. My memories are of JV failing miserably every time this year against Cleveland ONLY, nobody else. Should have made a stop to Baseball Reference (not just my memory) before posting.
My point, when I actually watch him pitch, it seems he is fine. And he has bounced back multiple times in the past. His 2016 season was fantastic.
Bottom line: no reason to trade him now.
Or the Indians are a really good team and good teams know how to hit Verlander? Verlander might not have the type of stuff any more that can shut down elite teams.
I just don’t see why he would drop off a cliff after having a Cy Young Caliber Season just last year. His velocity is NOT down. Perhaps just a little bad luck couple with being slightly off mechanically…. and maybe a little tipping of his pitches.
Just wait is my point. Why sell low?
Must be more than slightly off to get those results. They do have pitching coaches in Detroit, right? So why haven’t they figured it out? I think we have to wonder whether Verlander isn’t trying to muscle his way through this stretch of wildness, which could account for his increased velocity, poor control, and overall lack of effectiveness.
That said you could be right on the selling low but what we don’t know and presumably the Tigers don’t know is what is at the root of his problems this season. Not knowing means they can’t be sure that he’s an appreciating asset.
Verlander’s problem is his secondary stuff. His normally perfect command of them has deserted him, so people are just sitting fastball and hammering it, or crushing hangers. The stuff is still there, he’s just not able to use it properly this year.
Unless there is a haul of prospects involved, he is not going anywhere as Detroit has no incentive whatsoever to just give him away. They wil slash payroll through expiring contracts. JD, Sanchez, Lowe, Pelfrey and K-Rod will be Off the books next year and that’s ~$45 million right there. 3/5 of the starting rotation wil be 26 and under (Fulmer, Norris and Boyd) and there are 3 RHPs that are in the top 100 prospects in the minors that are expected to joining them over the next 2-3 years. Having someone like Verlander to provide the youngsters with veteran leadership would be much more valuable than just giving him away for middling prospect or two.
The Indians have failed to hit Padres pitching two days in a row.
Dumb bad luck? What are you talking about he’s a has been!
JV has always had a tough time with Cleveland, his entire career. Just one of those things.
Thank god..like him they were a blight on MLB!
No command at all is his problem, not velocity
The Royals can’t in good faith sell off when they’re so close at this stage of the season, even with their uninspiring start to the year. Nobody actually wants to win the AL Central this year. So, knowing their window is nearly closed and there’s no reason the division isn’t an achievable goal… why not go for it? What the hell, right?