Headlines

  • Yordan Alvarez Shut Down Due To Setback With Hand Injury
  • Giants Exercise 2026 Option On Manager Bob Melvin
  • Astros Place Jeremy Peña On Injured List With Fractured Rib
  • Tucker Barnhart To Retire
  • Tyler Mahle To Be Sidelined Beyond Trade Deadline
  • Reds Release Jeimer Candelario
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025 Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Royals Looking To Acquire Right-Handed Bat, Open To Dealing From MLB Roster To Clear Payroll Space

By Anthony Franco | November 10, 2022 at 7:54pm CDT

The Royals are interested in adding an experienced right-handed hitter this offseason, general manager J.J. Picollo tells Anne Rogers of MLB.com. The first-year baseball ops leader suggested the team’s defensive flexibility afforded them the ability to scour the market at multiple positions.

“The nice thing is, we have a lot of flexibility with the positional guys. A lot of guys that can play a lot of different positions. It doesn’t pigeonhole us into saying, ‘We need to go get this position,’” Picollo told Rogers. “I think we’re thinking more right-handed bat more so than left-handed. But we want the ability to match up and have the depth on our bench that allows us to make moves late in games.”

Kansas City has Bobby Witt Jr. locked in at shortstop, while Vinnie Pasquantino broke out to seize the first base job. Franchise icon Salvador Perez is locked in behind the plate, and Rogers writes that former top catching prospect MJ Melendez looks as if he’ll be the primary left fielder. Michael A. Taylor is under contract and the in-house favorite for playing time in center field, although it wouldn’t be a surprise if Kansas City floats him in trade talks considering how shallow the free agent market at the position is.

The rest of the position player group is a bit up in the air. Second and third base were primarily manned by rookies Michael Massey and Nate Eaton down the stretch. Both played reasonably well in their first exposure to big league pitching, and Picollo suggested Massey in particular looks as if he’ll get the first crack at the second base job. Nicky Lopez is on hand as a potential second base alternative, while Adalberto Mondesi is controllable for his final season of arbitration but coming off a season mostly lost to an ACL tear. Mondesi looks like a viable non-tender candidate with a projected $3MM salary, but Picollo indicated the club could bring him back as a multi-positional option off the bench.

That leaves third base and right field — where none of Drew Waters, Hunter Dozier, Edward Olivares or Kyle Isbel looks like a slam-dunk everyday player — as areas for a possible upgrade. Picollo noted that an experienced, veteran player would be ideal to help out in a younger clubhouse. Speculatively speaking, Evan Longoria and Justin Turner, each of whom were bought out of club options today, could fit the bill as third base/designated hitter options. In the corner outfield, players like Mitch Haniger, Adam Duvall, Andrew McCutchen and former Royal Wil Myers are available. Haniger would be the costliest of that group, while the latter trio are likely all available on one-year deals.

On the matter of payroll, Picollo tells Rogers next year’s player spending is likely to be similar to 2022 levels. Kansas City opened this year with a payroll around $95MM, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts. Roster Recourse projects their 2023 spending at just under $77MM, seemingly leaving some room for Picollo and his staff to augment the roster. Nevertheless, the GM tells Rogers they could consider moving some players off the big league club to free up spending capacity.

“We’re operating right now near capacity with what we want to spend, but that’s where we need to be open-minded in how we can manage and free up some money to change the look of the team a little bit,” Picollo said. “[Owner John Sherman] has told me, ‘Let’s understand where we are as a team right now, and when the time is right for us to add to the payroll, we’ll do that.’ It’s going to ebb and flow a little bit, but with where we’re at as a team right now, adding an extra $20MM isn’t going to put us at the top. There are other things we need to take care of first before we make that push with the payroll.”

Aside from Mondesi and Taylor, that probably leaves starter Brad Keller ($7MM projected salary) and relievers Scott Barlow ($4.9MM projection) and Amir Garrett ($2.6MM projection) as candidates to change uniforms. Keller and Garrett could be non-tender candidates after tough years, but Barlow would be an in-demand entrant to the reliever trade market if Kansas City shopped him. Controllable through 2024, the right-hander is coming off 74 1/3 innings of 2.18 ERA ball with a 26.6% strikeout rate. Barlow has quietly been one of the game’s best relievers two years running, and dealing him could free up K.C. to address a rather thin starting rotation and/or land the righty bat they’re seeking. Picollo didn’t say dealing Barlow was under consideration this offseason, to be clear, but the closer did draw trade interest at this past summer’s deadline.

Share 0 Retweet 2 Send via email0

Kansas City Royals Adalberto Mondesi MJ Melendez Michael Massey Scott Barlow

Jon Jay To Join Marlins As First Base Coach
Main
NL Central Notes: Brewers Pitching, Cardinals, Reynolds
View Comments (55)
Post a Comment

55 Comments

  1. walls17

    3 years ago

    Jeez, if they have to clear payroll space from an already tiny payroll, that is not good news for Royals fans.

    13
    Reply
    • Tcsbaseball

      3 years ago

      Maybe they’re trying to match the Athletic’s current payroll of $42…

      2
      Reply
    • KCMOWHOA

      3 years ago

      Probably more just getting rid of some dead weight or clearing roster space but yes it sounds silly

      Reply
  2. Larry Bernandez 1324IM

    3 years ago

    Jose Abreu would be a good veteran for those young Royals

    Reply
    • nbresnak

      3 years ago

      Nick Pratto has 30 HR potential and will pair very well with Vinnie. Pratto has excellent Defense at 1B as well while Vinnie, not so much

      Reply
      • Longfoot

        3 years ago

        In 158 at bats, Pratto hit .184 and struck out 40% of the time. The Royals will never win with players like that.

        1
        Reply
        • GareBear

          3 years ago

          Want to look up Anthony Rizzo’s first MLB experience with San Diego before they gave up on him after a short sample struggle in his debut season?

          Young players struggle and he showed well in the minors. He isn’t going to be a hot trade chip so give him a shot and see if he can seize the job.

          1
          Reply
        • Longfoot

          3 years ago

          Agree Pratto has no value, so give him a chance. The Royals aren’t going anywhere next year, anyway.

          IMO, Pratto’s career fWAR will not be 25% of Rizzo’s.

          1
          Reply
        • kingkeg

          3 years ago

          Pratto will be at least what Rizzo is, if not more and he’ll do it sooner…

          He has had an excellent k/bb ratio but was coming off an injury last year and was bounced back and forth between Omaha and KC.

          It’s just silly to claim he’s not still a highly valuable prospect.

          Reply
        • Dock_Elvis

          3 years ago

          The Royals have long history of players developing slowly….Alex Gordon and Mike Moustakas come to mind.

          Reply
  3. avenger65

    3 years ago

    It looks like Jose Abreu has found a new home.

    Reply
  4. south side hit men

    3 years ago

    What a waste. Great city, solid sports town, crappy ownership.

    4
    Reply
    • KCMOWHOA

      3 years ago

      The ownership is still pretty new and they weathered a pandemic, a lockout and a long overdue GM jettison. I think Sherman has earned a few more years before being roundly criticized

      Reply
  5. Mario93

    3 years ago

    Always liked the Royals for whatever reason as a Jays fan. Those seasons when they made deep playoff runs and won a World Series was a very fun team to watch. Sad how they have such a low payroll to work with … is it the owner who’s cheap or a bad tv contract or something ? Would be nice if the royals had a higher payroll.

    3
    Reply
    • futuregm12

      3 years ago

      I think a bit of both. The tv contract is horrible. It’s almost impossible to watch Royals games. No games on local TV, just some channel that’s only available with cable.

      3
      Reply
      • Dock_Elvis

        3 years ago

        The Royals haven’t even been on a lot of local cable because of contract dispute. There was literally NO way to watch them on TV.

        Reply
    • YourDreamGM

      3 years ago

      They had enough money to keep players around from their playoff days, to not trade players when they should have, and to sign old veterans when they had no chance of contending. 80 million is tops for a small market unless they are good and can get max attendance and step up to 100 to 130.

      1
      Reply
    • stymeedone

      3 years ago

      @mario
      It’s simply a matter of market size. The NYY are in the largest market with over 19,000,000 to draw from. The KC Royals have the 29th largest market to draw from. Costs of stadium operations are about the same. Spring training, travel, insurance, and basic costs of other operations are about the same. KC has a market just over 2 million, less than 1/9th of the Yankees. The one flexible cost is payroll. Does that help you understand the disparity?

      2
      Reply
      • Mario93

        3 years ago

        Yes it sure does.

        Reply
      • Dock_Elvis

        3 years ago

        KC draws from a 6 million person region. People have never understood rhat about the Royals and why they had the turf so long to avoid the rain outs. A lot of that stadium isn’t KC area people in it during games.

        Reply
  6. futuregm12

    3 years ago

    They’re gonna have to trade a lot of players to justify signing a hitter. Dozier, O’Hearn, MAT, and Mondesi/Lopez would all have to go.

    2
    Reply
    • kcmark

      3 years ago

      More Non-tendering Keller and his $7M arb salary. Lopez may be moved as well.

      Reply
    • Samuel

      3 years ago

      futuregm12;

      Lopez is an excellent player. Plays both SS & 2B extremely well. Hits decently if they play him enough to get into rhythm. Can help a number of teams. Angels should be trying for him. Ideal for the White Sox but they’re in the same division as the Royals. Astros could use him as a utility guy – they just dumped theirs (Aledmys Díaz).

      Primarily the Royals mess up their pitchers. But Lopez is one position player they hurt by jacking him around so.

      1
      Reply
      • GareBear

        3 years ago

        Lopez is a great defender but his one career year in ‘21 was really the only time he showed life with the bat. He could be a nice piece of a roster but it wouldn’t be a huge loss if we traded him

        2
        Reply
  7. cottman3

    3 years ago

    Drew Waters is an absolute lock for PT. Probably as CF if we can get rid of MAT.

    3
    Reply
    • GareBear

      3 years ago

      Waters pleasantly surprised me. Our hitting coaches have done pretty well developing hitting from under-appreciated sources; Vinnie, MAT, Beni, Oli, and now Waters. If only we could develop starting with any consistency

      Reply
  8. cottman3

    3 years ago

    “Should go”

    Reply
  9. Rsox

    3 years ago

    I’d like to see Myers finally suit up for the Royals, even if it’s 10 years later

    3
    Reply
  10. positively_broad_st

    3 years ago

    If KC has no intention of moving forward, they should go ahead and trade Salvy, Keller, Barlow, Taylor, and Garrett while they still have some value…

    3
    Reply
    • GareBear

      3 years ago

      Seeing how Sal has embraced KC, I really don’t see him playing anywhere is in his career. I’m all for a sell-off and rebuild, and trading Sal may be the smart baseball decision. But as a fan and resident, Sal is beyond loved in this community and he shows that love right back like few players do.

      Reply
    • Dock_Elvis

      3 years ago

      I guess I don’t see dealing relievers as a rebuild. But you can lose games without them just as easy…especially if your starters can’t even get meaningful games to them. There was a LOT of luck involved in those Dayton Moore winners. He had washed up SP draft picks turn into a stellar pen.

      Reply
  11. SoCalBrave

    3 years ago

    Ozuna?

    1
    Reply
    • Dan Rogers

      3 years ago

      I came here to start that conversation and hope we could speak it into reality

      Reply
      • User 3663041837

        3 years ago

        Ozuna and prospects for Dozier?

        Reply
  12. LouWhitakerHOF

    3 years ago

    Clear payroll? Didn’t they just trade Merrifield to do that.

    1
    Reply
  13. Deleted Userr

    3 years ago

    Open to dealing from MLB roster when they are (supposedly) trying to come out of a rebuild?

    Reply
  14. YankeesBleacherCreature

    3 years ago

    Status quo agenda with a few name changes on the roster. Got it.

    1
    Reply
    • Yankee Clipper

      3 years ago

      Aaron Hicks can bat righty! So can Donaldson! So can IKF!

      Reply
      • rocky7

        3 years ago

        I don’t think the Royals would be tempted by Hicks or Donaldson, but why shouldn’t the Yankees be bold and offer Gleyber Torres for Barlow straight up……gives the Royals a right handed young bat, while the Yankees get some needed late inning, high pressure Relief…….and it opens 2nd base for one of the young studs or allows DJ to slide in to an everyday one position role where he already has a Gold Gove……..might be a win/win for both teams.

        1
        Reply
        • Yankee Clipper

          3 years ago

          Donaldson is MVP-caliber. IKF is the best SS in the league, and Aaron Hicks is…… a good golfer?

          Reply
        • Rsox

          3 years ago

          “Donaldson is MVP-caliber”

          Sure, if this was 2016.

          The Yankees would have to pay down Donaldson and/or Hicks contracts to trade them anywhere, especially Kansas City. IKF is nice a player but the Royals already has 3 players capable of playing 2B/3B/SS on the roster. Unfortunately for Yankee fans you guys are stuck with those guys unless Cashman eats a lot of money to move them

          Reply
        • Yankee Clipper

          3 years ago

          Yeah, that was intended to be very sarcastic. I was repeating Cashman’s quotes from his press conference which are laughable.

          1
          Reply
        • Rsox

          3 years ago

          If those were Cashman’s words than that tells you everything about why they haven’t been to the World Series since 2009

          1
          Reply
        • Yankee Clipper

          3 years ago

          Yes, it does. And it’s why Yankees fans are so irate. They think they’re fooling us by repeating it but it’s just insulting. And, it makes the FO look completely inept. That’s why, I’m spite of his past successes, so many are calling for change. He also says Boone made good decisions in the postseason, which is objectively false.

          The scary thing is Aaron Boone said he isn’t worried at all about his job security, because he won’t get fired for “results” because he has a good process (whatever the hell that means), which should also tell us everything we need to know.

          Reply
  15. bigdaddyt

    3 years ago

    Most we can afford to pay our whole roster is about 3.50

    1
    Reply
  16. Yankee Clipper

    3 years ago

    It does seem pretty sad when the local McDonald’s is boasting a higher payroll than the the local MLB team.

    I do have a solution…. Perhaps use some of the competitive balance money awarded to each team? I dunno.

    Reply
  17. Grantastic

    3 years ago

    $20 or so million to spend right now if they keep payroll close to 2022.

    MAT will be dealt in the off-season if the price is right. Drew Waters is the CF’r of the future in KC.

    Moving Dozier will have to involve either eating a ton of his contract, or packaging him with a pitcher, or both.

    O’Hearn will simply not be tendered, alongside Keller.

    No sense in spending if they don’t have to resort to it in order to acquire that RH bat JJ speaks of. They can get creative. Now what squad needs a wizard of a defensive replacement 4th OF on the last year of their cheap contract in MAT? Who has a bad contract/reclamation project to swap for Dozier, or who has an immediate need for a corner OF’r and a fringe SP? Then filter through what RH hitter those squads have and there’s JJ’s guy.

    Reply
    • Longfoot

      3 years ago

      As much as I hope you are right, I will not be surprised if they keep O’Hearn on the roster. The real question is: Why have they kept him the last several years (-2.8 career WAR)?

      2
      Reply
  18. phillyphilly4133

    3 years ago

    Piccolo, come snag Castellanos from the Phillies

    Reply
  19. Perksy

    3 years ago

    Why are the Royals even in MLB. Just sad

    Reply
  20. Ketch

    3 years ago

    Bobby Dalbec for Adalberto Mondesi. Royals clear payroll and get a weak side platoon bat with some versatility. Boston gets a SS whose pretty good when healthy.

    Who hangs up?

    Reply
    • Longfoot

      3 years ago

      Could fill a need, but the Royals wouldn’t go for it. Mondesi is injury prone, but has upside if he could stay healthy and get his chase rate (one of the worst in MLB) down. Dalbec is a replacement level player and always will be.

      Reply
    • Rsox

      3 years ago

      Bloom for exactly the reason you stated in the final sentence in your comment “a SS whose pretty good when healthy”

      Reply
    • Dock_Elvis

      3 years ago

      KC really needs to start doing something to justify the MLB prices they charge fans for their AAA product. There’s really no excuse for most of their existence after 1985. I think there’s really a plea to move them downtown. A dumb plea in my opinion.

      The issue is that most MLB owners can sit back, relax, and let MLB build their brand and organization values. There aren’t small market teams in the sense of the 20th Century. There’s wealthy and extremely wealthy.

      Reply
      • Rsox

        3 years ago

        I don’t know why they would want move. Kauffman Stadium is one of the more beautiful parks in the league. This team from a lineup perspective is probably not that far off. Pitching wise they need help and maybe keeping Grienke while maybe trying to add a Jameson Taillon to anchor the staff moving forward would help get them on the right track

        Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Yordan Alvarez Shut Down Due To Setback With Hand Injury

    Giants Exercise 2026 Option On Manager Bob Melvin

    Astros Place Jeremy Peña On Injured List With Fractured Rib

    Tucker Barnhart To Retire

    Tyler Mahle To Be Sidelined Beyond Trade Deadline

    Reds Release Jeimer Candelario

    Dave Parker Passes Away

    Griffin Canning Diagnosed With Ruptured Achilles

    Pirates Reportedly Have Very Few Untouchable Players At Trade Deadline

    Griffin Canning Believed To Have Suffered Achilles Injury

    Mariners Looking For Corner Infield Bats; Ownership Willing To Bump Payroll

    Wander Franco Found Guilty Of Sexual Abuse

    Mariners Place Rowdy Tellez On Release Waivers

    Max Meyer To Undergo Season-Ending Hip Surgery

    Whit Merrifield Announces Retirement

    White Sox Sign Noah Syndergaard To Minor League Deal

    Corbin Carroll Placed On IL With Wrist Fracture

    Hoops Rumors Has The Latest On NBA Draft, Free Agency

    Mets Option Francisco Alvarez

    Reds To Promote Chase Burns For MLB Debut

    Recent

    Yordan Alvarez Shut Down Due To Setback With Hand Injury

    Jorge Mateo To Miss 8 To 12 Weeks With Hamstring Strain

    Reds To Sign Buck Farmer To Minor League Deal

    Pirates Trade Hunter Stratton To Braves

    Rockies Designate Sam Hilliard For Assignment, Select Austin Nola

    Orioles Select Jacob Stallings, Designate Emmanuel Rivera For Assignment

    Rangers Select Billy McKinney, Transfer Tyler Mahle To 60-Day IL

    Marlins Claim Nick Nastrini

    Giants Exercise 2026 Option On Manager Bob Melvin

    Poll: What Will The Twins Do At The Deadline?

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Sandy Alcantara Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Alex Bregman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • Trade Deadline Outlook Series
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version