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Royals “Close” To Trading Martin Maldonado

By Connor Byrne | July 15, 2019 at 9:56pm CDT

The Royals pulled catcher Martin Maldonado from their game Monday, likely because a deal is on the way. They’ve been “working on a trade” involving Maldonado with an unknown team, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. A trade is indeed “close,” Mark Feinsand of MLB.com adds on Twitter.

A former Brewer, Angel and Astro, Maldonado joined the Royals on a $2.5MM guarantee in free agency this past March. The signing came on the heels of Tommy John surgery for Royals starting catcher Salvador Perez, though the expectation then was that rebuilding Kansas City would move Maldonado sometime during the summer. The team previously did the same this past weekend with right-hander and fellow low-cost offseason pickup Homer Bailey, whom it flipped to Oakland for a prospect. Outfielders Billy Hamilton and Terrance Gore may soon follow Bailey and (seemingly) Maldonado out of town.

The Royals’ version of Maldonado has been close to the same player his previous teams got. Never much of a threat with the bat, the 32-year-old Maldonado has hit .224/.288/.359 (71 wRC+) with six home runs in 261 plate appearances. Maldonado has long been an exemplary defender, however, and he has continued to provide plus work behind the plate this year. Not only has Maldonado thrown out 33 percent of would-be base stealers, placing him 5 percent of the league average, but he’s Baseball Prospectus’ 18th-ranked catcher among 95 qualifiers in its Fielding Runs Above Average metric. Maldonado has been especially solid at blocking pitches, per BP. Unlike previous seasons, though, it grades him as a neutral pitch framer – not a standout.

Where to now for Maldonado? Not the Rangers, according to Jeffrey Flanagan and T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com, even though they’re contenders whose catchers rank dead last in the majors in fWAR. Both the Cardinals (Yadier Molina) and Angels (Jonathan Lucroy) just lost their primary backstops to injuries that will cost them roughly three weeks apiece. Meanwhile, the Red Sox and Phillies are among buyers who haven’t gotten particularly good performances from their reserve catchers.

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Kansas City Royals Martin Maldonado

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51 Comments

  1. TLB2001

    6 years ago

    We get anything more than cash considerations and it’s a win.

    Reply
  2. mizzourah87

    6 years ago

    Maldonado to the Rays for Wander Franco! The trade of the century!

    Reply
    • king beas

      6 years ago

      You sure it’s just a one for one and the rays didn’t have to throw in McKay?

      Reply
      • mizzourah87

        6 years ago

        Only if we also throw in Billy Hamilton. 2 for 2.

        Reply
    • diehardcubfan 2

      6 years ago

      That’s amusing. I’m thinking to the Cuba and free up Contreras to trade

      Reply
      • Banesays

        6 years ago

        And you are a troll. Contreras isn’t going anywhere.

        Reply
        • justinept

          6 years ago

          …but he should. Guy is a great hitter, no question. And the value is huge. But the Cubs pitchers rely on location to be effective, and Contreras turns more strikes into balls than any catcher in the league.

          Reply
        • Matt Galvin

          6 years ago

          Victor Cantani,Montgomery and so on for him,Kennedy and Hamilton?

          Reply
        • Banesays

          6 years ago

          No, he shouldn’t. You don’t like how he catches? Stick him in left then. He can play adequate defense out there. I guarantee you, he is not getting traded.

          Reply
        • ChiSox_Fan

          6 years ago

          To the Cubs

          Reply
        • diehardcubfan 2

          6 years ago

          Is that a fact. I’m the troll who Called the trade to the cubs. They obviously would only trade Contreras for a lead off CF stud or the like.

          Could be Maybe Caritini is on the move too

          Reply
        • Banesays

          6 years ago

          Why would the Cubs trade someone who is basically been branded as one of their “core 4” with Bryant, Baez, and Rizzo? I wasn’t calling you a troll for saying he’d go to the Cubs. Although you said, “Cuba”. I was saying it because why would any Cubs fan who actually knows anything about this team, think they’d trade Contreras? Case and point.

          Reply
        • TrueOutcomeFan

          6 years ago

          The Cubs lead the league in called strike percentage.

          Reply
      • ElMagoN9ne

        6 years ago

        If you’re a Cubs fan you want the cubs to lock up Contreas for 30 years. Not trade him for rentals. I bet you’re a Indians fan they jumped out during their win streak

        Reply
  3. twinsfan368

    6 years ago

    Whoever gets him will be satisfied with the defense that’s for sure and Martin will be very happy to get the heck out of KC

    3
    Reply
    • Cave

      6 years ago

      If he gets traded to the Giants or the O’s.

      Reply
  4. joester12

    6 years ago

    I remember when he was lucroys backup in Milwaukee

    Reply
  5. Jbigz12

    6 years ago

    Martin’s been waiting for this day since he inked the deal w KC

    3
    Reply
  6. Francys01

    6 years ago

    It is likely that Maldonado will be traded to the Athletics or Angels.

    1
    Reply
    • TLB2001

      6 years ago

      Not impossible, but we just did a deal with Oakland yesterday, you’d think they’d do it all at once *shrugs*

      Reply
    • rathman53

      6 years ago

      Very unlikely it the A’s. They are set with Phegley, Herrmann, Hundley and Taylor.

      Reply
    • ChiSox_Fan

      6 years ago

      Wrong!

      Reply
  7. Matt Galvin

    6 years ago

    Angels? Cardinals? Cubs? Astros?

    Reply
    • Ashtem

      6 years ago

      Cubs are the winners

      Reply
    • wv17

      6 years ago

      Cubs it is!

      Reply
  8. The Ghost of Bobby Bonilla

    6 years ago

    Pirates make sense since Cervelli won’t be able to catch anymore. Angels just got their backup, so it’s not them.

    Reply
    • Matt Galvin

      6 years ago

      Yes but he was Drafted by Angels the guy they just got but Martin M. has played on Angels before and Angels still in Wild Card hunt.

      Reply
  9. jpeezy43

    6 years ago

    I’m thinking Braves, Dodgers or Padres

    Reply
    • randallsimon

      6 years ago

      Braves?! Flowers and McCann are easily both better.

      Reply
  10. Cam

    6 years ago

    Angels, without a doubt.

    Reply
    • ChiSox_Fan

      6 years ago

      Wrong!

      Reply
  11. jpeezy43

    6 years ago

    Sad to see Maldonado go actually. Numbers might not show but he was very good for us

    Reply
    • TLB2001

      6 years ago

      Solid defender but he’s been a black hole in the lineup offensively. Cam isn’t much better but if we can turn him into a warm body for depth in the farm system, we should take it and run.

      Reply
  12. barrybonds1994

    6 years ago

    Angels forsure

    Reply
  13. astrosfan4life

    6 years ago

    Back to the Astros.

    1
    Reply
  14. NuckBobFutting

    6 years ago

    Phillies were there scouting him

    Reply
    • Matt Galvin

      6 years ago

      And could use Duffy,Bullpen piece,Hamilton.

      Reply
  15. mizzourah87

    6 years ago

    Seeing lots of mentions of the Phillies on Twitter.

    Reply
  16. steven st croix

    6 years ago

    Back to Houston. Chirons and Maldonado not a bad tandem.

    1
    Reply
    • astrosfan4life

      6 years ago

      Please no more Stassi at bats. Please.

      Reply
    • rdsfan05

      6 years ago

      Secret team that could slide in and get him is the reds

      Reply
  17. mizzourah87

    6 years ago

    Per Ken Rosenthal, it’s the Cubs

    1
    Reply
    • astrosfan4life

      6 years ago

      Per my inside sources…it’s not the Cubs.

      Reply
      • baseballhockeyguy

        6 years ago

        Per ken Rosenthal it is

        Reply
      • ChiSox_Fan

        6 years ago

        Cubs!

        Reply
  18. baseballhockeyguy

    6 years ago

    The Cubs it is

    Reply
  19. mizzourah87

    6 years ago

    Twitter saying Mike Montgomery…. god I hope that’s not true…. I’d rather have cash considerations.

    Reply
    • ChiSox_Fan

      6 years ago

      Too bad for you. Montgomery it is!

      Reply
  20. allweatherfan

    6 years ago

    Diekman will be the next to go now that they have a new lefty.

    Reply
  21. Dominion

    6 years ago

    You guys got Montgomery as your next rotation pitcher. There is a bigger trade being worked on w Cubs and royals. I’m sure it includes DFA Gore and Deikman. Possibly Merrifield

    Reply
  22. Jbigz12

    6 years ago

    I like the deal for KC here. Monty is just as good of a rebound candidate as anyone. He shouldn’t require a substantial raise on his 2.44MM Arb salary and has backend starter upside. Could realistically fill Bailey’s role and provide another trade chip down the line. Or honestly by July 31 if he reels off 2-3 solid starts prior. (Though that’d Be an aggressive time frame) Not a bad gamble for 3 months of a guy who was going to walk in a couple months.

    Reply

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