The Royals have acquired outfielder Mike Yastrzemski from the Giants in a last-minute deadline swap. In exchange, the Giants will receive right-handed pitching prospect Yunior Marte. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com was the first to report that Yastrzemski was headed to Kansas City. The deal is now official.
Yastrzemski, 34, has slipped to a 97 wRC+ in 372 plate appearances for the Giants this year in his seventh season with the club. From 2023-24, he’d managed a 109 mark. A left-handed hitter, Yaz has always excelled against right-handed pitching, including a 118 wRC+ this year.
Yastrzemski, who has primarily played right field in the Majors, joins a 54-55 Royals team that nonetheless sits three games back in the Wild Card race. He’s a perfect pairing with the newly-acquired Randal Grichuk, a right-handed hitter. Rookie Jac Caglianone, who had spent time in right field, is on the IL with a hamstring strain. Yastrzemski, famously the grandson of Hall of Famer Carl, will be eligible for free agency after the season.
As Justice delos Santos of the San Jose Mercury News notes, “With Yastrzemski gone, the door is open for Luis Matos to step into a starting role [for the Giants]. It’s very possible Grant McCray and Marco Luciano see some time in right field as well.”
In parting with their longtime right fielder for the next few months, the Giants add Marte. The 21-year-old has spent the season in A ball, posting a 2.74 ERA and 18.4 K-BB% in 19 starts. Baseball America assigned him a 50 high risk grade, noting that he “features two above-average pitches in his arsenal.”
Oh wow! SF probably gives Gilbert a call up to the show
I would think one of luciano, meckler, mccray would come up with them all on the 40 man
probably see if Encarnacion can hack it (I doubt it) – he is out of options, on rehab stint
Encarnacion just needs to stay healthy. He can hit and he’s a pretty good defensive player especially considering his size.
At the very least, Jerar can slot into the “righty bat off the bench” role that Mayos was ill suited for.
I’m guessing Matos gets first dibs at playing everyday, Jerar takes Yaz’s roster spot.
Perhaps they’ll ditch Dom Smith and Wilmer in August at a point where a contender can claim them off waivers (the Giants would love to let Wilmer jump to a contender, he’s been such a good Giants and deserves a chance at the playoffs). If they free up first base/DH at bats, maybe Jerar gets a lot of those reps and they bring up some of those young guys like Meckler, McCray, and the newly acquired Gilbert. I’d wager they could clean house on the rest of their impending free agents via waivers in mid-August if they continue to drop in the standings. If they somehow right the ship and still a few games out, then perhaps they stand pat with those guys.
Regardless, I’ll miss Yaz, but it’ll be nice to have some more at bats for guys who can hopefully step into bigger roles on the 2026 roster.
Neither Meckler nor McCray have been putting up the numbers to get promoted. Luciano does massive damage to LHP but against RHP this season he might as well be swinging a popsicle stick.
yeah but the point is that they are all on the 40. man so you probably would rather give them a shot than to add another guy to the 40 man and DFA someone on a whim just because you just got them
There is a spot open on the 40-man. Though the biggest need is at catcher, so they would probably call up the catcher they got for Doval before an OF.
Though yesterday I completely missed the fact that Jesus Rodriguez was a catcher. A decent hitting one too. Wish I realized that when arguing about Bailey yesterday and others insisting Bailey wasn’t a backup catcher no matter how badly he hits because “Buster trusts him”. I think we’ll see how far that “trust” really goes.
Mccray is on the bus today and they are adding teng
Still leaves them one short on the 26-man.
And I was wrong, they had only 38, so Teng makes 39.
For once I can’t really be mad whoever they call up because there isn’t a clear favorite for me. McCray and Meckler haven’t been lighting the world on fire. Hunter Bishop is having his best season in years (not say that much) and is in the range of the other two stats wise. The plus side is whoever gets called up would create playing time for him. Which he needs after years of injuries limiting his playing time.
Luciano would only be versus LHP and mean Ramos would have to shift to RF when he starts. And Bryce Eldridge needs at least two week where he’s really on fire before getting called up.
Absolutely. Could see that train coming through the tunnel!
Gilbert gets the call and his first game is at CitiField. Hilarious, but not expected.
Make it good he pinch hits in the 9th giants down 3 bases loaded 3 balls 2 strikes he’s facing the reliever the Mets got from the giants. Here the pitch ! Grand slam home run !!!!!! Wow what a call !!
I’d think Matos takes over everyday in RF. He’s fine defensively. They need to see if the bat can live up to the potential, and giving him consistent ABs is the way to do it.
Haha. Love to see it.
KC is pushing their chips in. Good for them.
Even now, they don’t have nearly enough offensive chips to make any kind of postseason run.
No Jv to Detroit.. darn
Harris offered Alex Cobb.
This is unexpected, especially after the Grichuk trade! Can never have too many outfielders I suppose.
Have you reviewed their outfield production prior to the recent deals??
Low-price pickup for good defense.
Good for them. Not sure why more teams do t do this considering how much organizational filler was traded.
Thank god
Padres fans wish list entering the season:
— Diamondbacks collapse. ✅
— Giants collapse. ✅
— Dodgers collapse. (Pending)
Rockies collapse? Oh, wait…. lol
The Padres know all about collapsing!
Pads fans are hoping the rest of the division collapses faster than their team this year.
Yaz and Grichuck give the Royals OF some actual hope offensively.
Surprised Pham wasn’t traded for the 4th straight deadline
He’ll get waived and sign with a playoff team soon.
Teams he played since 2021: SD, CIN, BOS, NYM, ARI, CHW, STL, KC, PIT. Man’s been all over the place and slapped Joc Pederson, dissed the Mets, and stroked for a fan.
That simply says how bad the Royals OF has been. Yastrzemski and Grichuk are 4th or 5th OFs at best on a good team.
💯 correct
Regardless, he’s an upgrade. The Royals got better today and traded away garbage to do it. Good day for Royals fans.
I wouldn’t call Freddy Fermin garbage. He’s a legitimate backup
Royal fans will love Yaz. The guy’s a pro at everything he does (except hitting lefties which we won’t need to do now in KC).
Of all the deadline trades, this was one of them.
I’ll miss the human being more than the baseball player.
Ha ha ha. Oh dear. Well Yaz is obviously a better human than you !
Thanks Yaz. Good luck.
Hey at least Kansas City now has an outfield.
Just in time for a Fenway homecoming next week, cool.
does his grandpa live in Boston? I know his grandpa is a major-league Hall of Famer.
Royals – He lives not far from Boston in Maine last I heard, I’m sure he’ll be at Fenway next week health permitting.
With Twins, White Sox and Guardians selling it makes sense for Royals to go for it now
Would you please point out what “selling” Cleveland did of anyone who has actually contributed to this season?
Always amusing when people think they know what’s going on with a team.
Bieber a former Cy young and triple crown winner and sewald who was former closer and good reliever in Arizona. It always amazes me when people want to put other people down on a baseball site and don’t know what they’re talking about
Selling is getting rid of players because they want to receive compensation before the player walks. Bieber was going to help them. That rotation is weak and would’ve been better. That’s selling
Good day for Royals. 3 controllable starting pitchers to fill 2 open spots in rotation. Now rental of league average or higher outfielder.
SF took MJ MELENDEZ???
Please pray.
no, Our number 20 prospect yunior Marte RHP
I was working at a gaming shop, listening to the game when he homered in his first Fenway game. It was magical. I’d love to see him play for the Sox at some point, but there’s no fit
Wishing Yas the best in KC. He made the play of his life last night in Oracle Park. I felt then he was trying to save his job. Had to leave the restaurant as I started crying. Been there done that watching my Dad get traded. It’s hard as hell.
Yunior Marte is heading to San Francisco for Yastrzemski. Had a 2.74 ERA in 19 starts for A Columbia. Second time a pitcher named Yunior Marte has gone from the Royals to the Giants.
Yep, the other Yunior Marte is pitching in Japan this year.
It would have been so poetic for him to land with the Red Sox. Still time though.
I agree, but there’s no obvious fit right now. They’d have to move two of Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreyu, and Tristan Casas (what? Carl moved to 1st later in his career.) Or Yoshida I suppose, but he’s going to have to have a monster rest of the year to attract interest.
Royals nice picking up scraps deadline
Probably the best 4th Outfielder a team could get. Very sound fundamentals, accurate arm, good on the bases. Hits for power and average with good OBP. Like any other player has his spurts and slumps but definitely plays the game with passion.
So, scrap ?
Not.
There have been 5 walk off Splash Hits (home runs hit into the Bay).
Bonds and Crawford have one each. Guess who has the other 3? Just don’t look up his first major league hit.
Now they just need Hawk Harrelson jr
Best wishes to “Forever Giant” Yaz
Yaz was my favorite Giant despite my namesake. He started strong this year and faded the last couple of months. Still, he was the only truly “excellent” outfielder the Giants had. It’s painful watching Ramos break in on fly balls and then miss them over his head. Lee is okay but not great. Lee was a huge, huge overpay by the former regime. Good luck Yaz, you were a wondeful Giant and one of the best stories of how perserverance pays (turned 29 his rookie season) in recent memory.
Nice work Wilmer ! That’s how it is done. Yaz is a great lesson in hanging tough. Let’s hope he does it for a bit longer.
Yes re Yaz AND Lee is a very good outfielder.
Good luck in KC, Yaz!
Ironic that he’s traded the day after making arguably the best MLB catch of the year.
“Somehow, Yunior Marte returned.”
Was so hoping he would end up with the Sox.
Not sure how I feel about this. Y A Z.
Yaz has all the tools except one. He can run, has a strong accurate arm, good range, good glove, good on the basepaths, and good power when he connects. He’d be an AS if he had better bat to balls skills. I always liked Yaz. Well, actually it was more like a love/hate thing. Loved seeing in RF, but was pessimistic seeing him at the plate.
But I was hoping he’d go to a team with a more lefty-hitter friendly ballpark. Kaufman is much like Oracle. It’s a little better in general, and good for 2Bs and 3Bs, but worse than Oracle for HRs for LHHs. Good luck to him. I hope he does well.
I liked when he came up to the plate.
Mostly because his walk up music was a portion of Led Zeppelin’s “When the levee breaks” Hope he continues that with his new team. Should be a solid platoon with Grichuk.
It’s about time the nepo got traded.
Really nice to read all the positive comments here about Yaz and how his story impacted fans. Best wishes to all of you for taking the time to write your thoughts.