JULY 19: Kansas City general manager J.J. Piccolo pushed back against the idea the Royals would only trade Grienke if he requested a deal in a recent appearance on 610 Sports Radio (h/t to Lynn Worthy of the Kansas City Star). “There’s nothing contractually. We’ll treat Zack Greinke the exact same way we’ll treat any other player. If the return is a good return, then we’ll look at it,” Piccolo said about the possibility of a Greinke deal. The GM acknowledged the team “would have discussions with Zack if anything were to come forward” in recognition of his decision to sign there over the winter, but it doesn’t appear there’s a firm mandate not to deal the six-time All-Star. He nevertheless indicated they’ve yet to have any substantive discussions with interested teams and conceded it seems unlikely a deal will wind up coming together before the deadline.
JULY 15: With the Royals already in sell mode, the majority of their impending free agents figure to eventually emerge as trade candidates. One exception appears to be right-hander Zack Greinke, whom the Royals aren’t planning to trade unless he specifically asks to be dealt, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
The 38-year-old Greinke is back with his original organization after 11 years spent honing a potential Hall of Fame resume around the league, making stops with the Brewers, Angels, Dodgers, D-backs and Astros along the way. Greinke chose to sign a one-year, $13MM deal with the Royals despite a reportedly comparable offer from the now-division-leading Twins and interest at a similar price point from the Tigers. Detroit GM Al Avila said during Spring Training that money was not the deciding factor in Greinke’s decision. Rather, the righty preferred going “back to Kansas City and the place where he started,” which is wholly understandable at this juncture of his career. Heyman adds that Greinke recently purchased a home in Kansas City as well — all of which combines to make a trade appear fairly unlikely.
Greinke has been mostly solid for an unproven and at times shaky Royals staff this season, making 14 starts and logging 73 2/3 frames of 4.52 ERA ball. All of the damage against him has come in four road starts, as he’s been hit hard in Houston, Colorado, Minnesota and Arizona. Greinke has a 1.86 ERA while pitching at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium, and despite the pedestrian earned run average, he’s held his opponents to two or fewer runs in nine of his 14 starts. Righties Brad Keller (3.96 ERA, 97 2/3 innings) and Brady Singer (3.82 ERA, 66 innings) have also been good for Kansas City, but the rest of the pitchers who’ve started games for the Royals this year have ERAs either just under or well north of 5.00.
A former Cy Young winner, six-time All-Star, six-time Gold Glover and two-time ERA champion, Greinke’s dominance has faded late in his career as his fastball velocity and strikeout rates have dropped. He’s averaging just 89.2 mph with his “heater” in 2022 while striking out a career-low 12.5% of his opponents. His command of the strike zone remains masterful, however, evidenced by a 4.5% walk rate and a 67.9% first-pitch strike rate, which ranks tenth among big league pitchers (min. 70 innings).
It’s certainly possible that as the deadline draws nearer, Greinke will feel the urge to again join a postseason push and approach the front office about engineering a trade. Even then, he’d likely be selective about his preferred destination, so a trade wouldn’t necessarily be a given. At least for now, it seems much likelier that he stays put.
won’t be surprised when he requests a trade an hour before the deadline ends
I don’t think he’ll get traded. He comes with too much baggage and no GM other than Bloom would take a chance with those home/road splits.
Kansas City is the perfect place for him, I wish him all the best.
Couldn’t he hire movers to handle his excess baggage?
Costs a lot to move that much history…
Anyone need a DH? This dude can hit
Yup. He should end his career where it started. If he he hangs up his cleats after this season of course.
Greinke seems happy in Kansas City, nice city
Are they willing to trade Brad Keller?
What about Kansas City is nice? Nothing
Greinkie has struggled this year and doesn’t offer much to a team looking to compete. I can see why the Royals would rather keep him than trade him.
it’s obvious you didn’t read the article it’s era at Kansas city is 1.38 in four starts hello
1.86 but yeah
You could do a lot worse for a 5th starter or even a 4th in the playoffs if there’s an injury. Good teams need plan b depth too. Royals could get a prospect that would show up in their top 25 for him. If the agreement was not to trade him unless he wants it, then that’s fine also.
Obviously not the same legacy but if the Card fell out of contention there would be no chance they trade Pujols. This is a farewell/reunion tour and a trade was never particularly likely if we are honest with ourselves.
Whoa, whoa, whoa, let’s not get all crazy here, “be honest with ourselves”?! If anything it’s time to double down on the charade & keep living the lie. Ahahahaha!
Agreed, but the Cardinals are not trading Pujols… no way…
Seems like the type the Cardinals pick up, put gold glove defense behind him, and his ERA goes to 3.60 with a K/9 of 2.8
We sure could use him as a rental. Only five hours from his new house and I’m sure the team would be amenable to letting him go home on his off days.
Would they trade Brad Keller to St Louis? He makes more sense in a trade since Grinke is happy in Kansas City.
Wow, other than a handful of road games, looks like he has pitched well. Also, from this story, it looks like KC has 3/5ths of a starting rotation in place for next year? How many small market teams can say that? I’m not a KC fan, but good for them. Stay Zach, stay!
Most of them. Cheap young talent with years of control is what small market teams need to have.
@YourDreamGM; Thanks for the insight. Was unaware that most small market teams have 3/5ths of a competitive rotation ready to go each year. If KC keeps Greinke, looks like they’ll have that in 2023?
I’m a long time Os fan, got spoiled following them with deep rotations from 66 to 83. So long ago. Today’s Os? A whole another story. Even when they were the winngest team in the AL in the early to mid 2010s, it seemed Duquette + Showalter had to constantly tinker & tweak staff throughout each season. I could be wrong, but that is my recollection.
Key word most. When you ignore analytics and international market you may not fall under most.
@YourDreamGM; good stuff! Thanks.
Why would you include the international market in this? What does that have to do with anything being discussed?
Terrific career, but it’s hard to see why a contender would spend a lot in prospect capital to someone who might help stabilize the back end of a rotation, but is no longer a 1-2-3 guy. I’d question how many starts he’d get in the playoffs. Besides, he likes KC, and this is likely his last year.
They wouldn’t spend a lot. It wouldn’t be a top 100 or top 10. You are looking at weak platoon utility, back up catcher, a ball reliever, 4th outfielder.
Do remember that Tatis was acquired for James Shields having a terrible year as a rental. Sometimes the lottery tickets pan out. But Grienke came back to retire with this team so let him have his swan song
Can’t see any team wanting him in their playoff rotation at this point. I think even though they aren’t going anywhere, KC is a good fit, low pressure situation and he can just relax and play ball until he’s retired.
He’s definitely more of a depth piece or clubhouse presence person. If he hypothetically can give a team five innings per start down the stretch, mop up some innings in the pen, or be an occasional sixth starter to give your top arms an extra day of rest, he can provide value.
I’m guessing he wants to start consistently, though. Just bought a house in KC, so seems to be content with riding into the sunset after this season.
Only question I’d if he’d be willing to ring chase for 2-3 months. Probably not interested in going to a borderline playoff team.
I don’t get how Tim Hudson isn’t in the Hall of Fame. He had a better career than Sabathia so if Sabathia gets in then it makes no sense
When you get to borderline players some get in and some don’t even though they have similar career value. Bad idea to play the card of, such and such guy is in so therefore this guy should be. It lowers standards too much. Like if we let every player as good as Harold Baines in the HOF would mean nothing.
@cosmo2 while i agree with you on the baines argument, unfortunately by letting baines in the hof he has lowered the bar of what a hof is now. basically by letting baines in you now have to look at all the players now with comparable stats and let at least 1/2 in, the hof imo really screwed the pouch on this one imo
KC kept Whit Merrifield all these years despite not being anywhere near a contender and now he has lost most of his value so Im not surprised.
They’re letting Mike Matheny continue to have a job, so nothing surprises me with KC. Matheny was really terrible with young players when he was in STL, so I just don’t get what KC sees in Mike.
What they see in Mathenaloser is 20% Moore as GM or whatever title he currently holds. He needs to go along with all the other staff he has brought i.
Was just looking at Grienke’s BR page. A little surprised that I am thinking he is a HOF’er
He pretty much is a lock imho
I wouldn’t say lock. I think he might get a Mussina type wave in though. He’s not that much better than Tim Hudson or Johan Santana and they both were one and done on the HOF ballot.
Johan fell off because it was a star studded ballot. Andruw Jones now seeming like a potential lock with his gains only got 7.4% that voting cycle. Rolen only 10% 4 guys made the hall that year, and there were 7 total HOF on the ballot. Not including the ever talked about PED guys with Bonds, Clemens, Schilling, Sosa. There’s not too many HOF resumes between now and 6-8 years from now when Greinke gets on. I think he gets the Mussina wave still, but Hudson and Santana felt the wrath of tough ballots. Johan especially
If it were up to me, I’d let Johan in. But the reason he isn’t is because he only played for 10 years. A lot of voters think you need a longer body of work.
I honestly don’t understand anyone saying that Greinke shouldn’t or won’t get in. He has been very good for a very long time. You can’t compare SP to stats to previous generations since the game has changed so drastically in the last 15 years for SP
Greinke is definitely a HOFer
He’s a lock.
I can only thing of maybe 5-10 pitchers over the course of his career that were close to as good as him. And most of those were short crossovers from his early years. Him and Sabathia were as good and consistent as anyone for a long time.
I agree that Johan’s peak was killer and he in my eyes is a borderline HOF. He pitched in 12 years but the peak was more like 6-8. And I agree when comparing era’s of pitchers, hard too with how much this game changes. That saying Greinke is a HOF. Not first ballot, but definitely should be one. Only thing he lacks is hardware.
Grienke’s HOF speech will be him slowly walking up to the podium, saying “thanks…” then casually walking off.
He’s HoF for sure.
Greinke retiring a royal
Zack yeah this is Dayton. Zack yo this is me. Dayton can we interest you in a trade to a non contender? Zack no way man. Dayton how about the Braves? Zack I’m packing my bags dude.
A) why would a non contender be acquiring a half season rental at the deadline?
B) it’s pretty obvious that he’s more concerned w the storybook end of his career coming full circle to where it began than he is w trying to chase a title one last time or he wouldn’t have signed there to begin with — no one had any delusions of them competing — he’s going to retire this offseason as a royal.
The other side of the story is no one’s asking either – that ship has sailed. More value to KC’s tickets sales than anything else
There are a few teams who need a 5th starter and they would be interested. Maybe like 3 people a game will buy tickets just to see him. 1 1.5 million ish fans show up no matter what. The rest will come out for a winning team.
He’s still playing!!!???
I think he stays and either retires after the season or re-signs for one more year over the winter.
He’s washed up. Who wants him
0.9 WAR plus great at home. Definitely not washed up.
Zack could probably help several contenders but there will still be somewhere around 5-6M left on his contract at the deadline.. I’m guessing most would assume they could find similar help for less.
That being said, I’m a KC fan and hope he stays until retirement. I just hate that he has had to endure this train wreck of a season with us.
Good fit as a back end of the rotation for Atlanta or St. Louis. Would only cost one long-shot prospect…
His last deal had
-Orioles
– Red Sox
– Reds
– Rockies
– Tigers
– Yankees
– Athletics
– Padres
– Giants
– Cardinals
– Blue Jays
– Angels
– Dodgers
– Twins
– Phillies
On his no trade list. He pretty much hates baseball and change is scary to him. He’d have to find new restaurants, new friends, a new barber, new escorts, a new church and he’d have to learn when trash day is so he can wheel out his bins on time.
Very nasty.
A few cities he doesn’t want to play for. The rest are likely destinations he could void his no trade cause say for a extra million.
Would like to see him for one more year in KC. If the money is right, it’s a good deal both ways.
With the money he’s made, he could buy a home in all 50 states. I don’t see how that matters at all.
I am guessing this is Zack last year and he is retiring as a KC player.
Barlow is the only KC P I’d want at the deadline
If he stayed with the Dodgers, he would have been a champion and futer Hofer. Chose money instead of legacy.
False. Bears eat beets. Greinke loathed the Cult of Puig that had engulfed Dodgerdom at the time largely based on the exceptions being constantly made for Puig that would’ve been tolerated for no one else at the time.
There’s a story of Puig making the team bus run late and arguing when he finally showed up and Greinke tossed his crap off the bus. Kershaw had a few Puig dustups of his own.
Not a bad guy – but as an Astros fan watching him last couple of years he isn’t someone you feel confident trotting out there in a postseason game. Contenders will be looking for that missing piece vs an innings eater at the deadline.
He’s had a great career – he doesn’t need to tarnish it getting shelled in a wild card game for some borderline contender.
Why would anyone want him? Not good anymore.
Except that he is. Better than most teams number five starter.
He’s probably better than most teams number three starter
Some interesting posts talking about retirement. Logical to me. That said; retirement? Where is this mentioned in the article? Unless I missed somewhere Zach stating he was retiring soon, maybe he went with a one year contract because if a playoff team with a legit shot at winning it all wanted him, he would go and KC would oblige. And per this article, minus 4 ugly road games, he looks more than decent. Could be a legit 4 or 5 for someone?
World Series champion is the one thing missing from his stellar resume. Yes? He wants it! And KC knew this when they signed him and we’re okay with trading him if he had this opportunity? So maybe he continuies to do these one yr contracts with KC until he does wanna hang it up? What’s in it for KC? Fannys in seats and maybe, one year soon, they have their own little run? And, if there is a trade, maybe they get a prospect? … probably lower not higher?
That was a gross overuse of question marks.
@prov356; LOL, I just reread my post. Spot on with the question mark observation. Also, in retrospect, content a bit windy and bloated in it’s entirety as well. Gulp! Thanks for reading it. Cheers!
Funny!
Well after he just watched the Omaha Stormchasers win in Toronto he might actually be thinking one more year in KC before retirement!
Has anyone paid attention to the Royals record last 40 games?
Greinke’s been my fav player for quite a few years now. Would love to see him in an Atlanta jersey for a solid run.
Why? Idk why anyone would really want him that bad, but makes no sense not to trade him if there is any value here
If the Dodgers lose another starting pitcher (Tony Gonsolin is due to go down any day now), I could see them bringing him back. The best stretch of his career was in LA 2013-2015. No one is going to expect him to regain his 2015 form, but he always pitched extremely well at Dodger stadium and might make some sense.
They really should rest Tony with an “injury.” Regardless, the Dodgers have trade acquisitions coming off the IL: Heaney, Buehler, Duffy, May. I don’t want to live in a world where ZERO of those guys look an obvious postseason starter.
How is Tony “due” to go down any day?
It would be stupid not to trade him. They’re not contending, and he’s a FA after the season.
There is the value of putting a quality product on the field this season. (Vs the virtually nothing they’d get in return anyway).
The intangible is the knowledge he shares with their young staff and the experience they gain from him.
Yea, that too
So Heyman was wrong again.
LOLHeyman
Grienke for HOF, all time great. Closing in on 3K strike outs
Borderline candidate, probably a notch below Schilling.
But many notches above Don Sutton. If Sutton’s in, they might as well just induct the 50-100 pitchers who aren’t in but had better careers than Don.
Nothing borderline about the guy. Schilling deserves in too. Both are completely deserving.
@Cosmo: Borderlines.
Don’t think he’ll make 3,000K. Hope he does, but his K rate has dropped and he’s been fading.
Good old Zack. He was called mentally weak. Somehow this future HOF did ok. He would have had a World Series ring in 2019 if he wasn’t pulled after giving up a 1 run HR w/Astros in Game 7. But today managers don’t trust their stud SP’s.
I think Greinke is a Hall of Famer. He has pitched a long time, ERA 3.44, 2,851 strikeouts … 6 gold gloves. Great career!!
Does he have another 149 K’s in him?
Good for them. Started as a Royal, and will finish as one. Honorable.
I’d take him back on the Dodgers.