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Royals Working On Jake Diekman Trade

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12:02pm: The Dodgers stood out as the likely “frontrunners” from the start, tweets Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com. However, he adds that the Nationals and Phillies both still have Diekman on their radar.

11:53am: The Royals “could be getting closer” to a trade involving left-handed reliever Jake Diekman, tweets Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Both the Braves and Dodgers have been showing strong interest in the southpaw, he adds.

Diekman, 32, is playing out the season on a one-year, $2.25MM contract, though he’s also owed a $500K buyout on a $5.75MM mutual option that doesn’t seem likely to be exercised (as is the case with virtually all mutual options). That puts the remaining obligation to Diekman around $1.3MM between now and season’s end.

While Diekman’s 4.75 ERA isn’t going to excite most fans, he’s also notched a hefty 13.6 K/9 mark and kept the ball on the ground at a 48-4 percent clip. Left-handed opponents have batted just .213 and slugged .255 against him. As has oft been the case for Diekman throughout his career, though, control has been an issue. He’s averaged five walks per nine innings pitched this season and plunked another eight hitters. As such, Diekman has yielded an overall .213/.362/.255 line to lefties and a .211/.331/.358 line to right-handed hitters.

Diekman is technically controlled beyond the 2019 season, but mutual options are almost never exercised by both parties. Typically, if a player performs well enough to justify that salary, he’s inclined to test the open market. And if a player doesn’t perform up to that standard, the club will of course buy the option out. Perhaps the changing landscape of free agency will make a player such as Diekman — one with limited earning power but who could justify a net $5.25MM decision with a strong finish — more likely to exercise his half of the provision, but there’s limited historic precedent.

Royals Reportedly “Not Inclined” To Pay Down Salary In Trades

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As we explored here several months ago, Ian Kennedy has gone from a starter on an albatross contract to a highly intriguing reliever this season, making him a fairly logical trade candidate for the 39-65 Royals. Kansas City is indeed getting interest in not only Kennedy but also left-hander Danny Duffy, as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (subscription required). Both players are on sizable contracts, however, and Rosenthal adds that Kansas City is “not inclined” to make a deal if it means paying down either veteran’s deal to a more palatable rate. The Royals “value [Kennedy and Duffy] as place-holders until their younger pitchers develop,” per the report.

With regard to Duffy, that’s a rather logical stance to take. He’s a homegrown player who was extended to much fanfare in Kansas City, and while the $15-16MM he’s being paid on an annual basis outstrips his recent production, it’s not an egregious overpay. Signed through the 2021 season, Duffy has at least been a serviceable arm. He owns a 4.32 ERA in 89 1/3 innings and is averaging 8.0 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 while still carrying the upside of pitching at a higher level.

Trading Duffy, even with an acquiring team taking on all of his money (which is highly unlikely) would be selling low. The lefty was the Royals’ best starter in 2016-17, tossing a combined 326 innings of 3.54 ERA ball with 8.8 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and 1.1 HR/9. It’s possible that with a strong finish to the 2019 season and/or a strong first half in 2020, Duffy’s value could increase. Paying down his contract and seeing his value increase in the future would be a bitter pill to swallow — particularly because the present-day return in a theoretical trade would be relatively modest.

As pertains to Kennedy, though, it’s a somewhat befuddling mindset. He’s four years older than Duffy, only signed through the end of the 2020 season (at annual rates of $16.5MM) and is pitching more effectively than he has at any point in his Royals tenure. Kennedy is currently sporting a 3.40 ERA, but he’s also recorded a 2.16 FIP and a 3.17 SIERA mark. The right-hander is averaging 11.1 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 with a career-high 45.5 percent ground-ball rate. Suddenly, in a relief role, Kennedy is missing bats, limiting walks and home runs, and generating grounders all at career-best rates. His value could well be at its apex, and a once-untradeable pitcher now looks like a player who could be moved and return an intriguing prospect or two if the Royals pay him down to market value (or even lower).

Were Kennedy a free agent this offseason, it’s easy to see him commanding a solid salary on a one-year deal or perhaps even a two-year pact. He’s owed $22.4MM from this writing through the end of the 2020 season, and while that’s more than he’d earn in free agency, it’s not outlandish to think he could earn himself $6-7MM annually on the open market. Paying him down to that rate, or even a bit further, could net some minor leaguers to further the club’s rebuild while also saving enough cash to sign a different “placeholder” (or two) in free agency.

If the Royals are eyeing contention in 2020, hats off to them for making an effort in a weak division at a time when so many other clubs are insistent on lengthy rebuilds that inherently come with diminishing returns. (The more clubs that tank, the less effective the benefits of tanking become.) But even if that’s the case, it’s hard to see how retaining Kennedy at $16.5MM for next season meshes with that plan. If the alternative is adding a quasi-interesting prospect or two and saving some money that could be reinvested in the 2020 roster, the Royals should be willing to sell Kennedy at peak value.

Royals Rumors: Merrifield, Diekman

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Royals utilityman Whit Merrifield is unsurprisingly drawing interest from contenders with the trade deadline just a few days away. The Cubs, Braves and Phillies are among the teams eyeing Merrifield, but it appears they’ll have to look elsewhere. The Royals are telling teams they’re not going to deal him, Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports.

Even though the Royals are just 39-64 this season and will have trouble pushing for a playoff spot in the near future, the 30-year-old Merrifield has never looked like an especially realistic trade candidate. Royals general manager Dayton Moore hasn’t made it any secret he has an affinity for Merrifield, who he said in June is “one of the best players in all of baseball right now.” Moore also stated then it would take a “crazy” offer for Kansas City to move Merrifield, whom it signed to a four-year, $16.25MM extension in the offseason.

On a KC team with few major bright spots, Merrifield has continued his run as an eminently valuable performer this year. He has slashed .306/.357/.495 (122 wRC+) with 49 extra-base hits (28 doubles, 12 home runs, nine triples) and 15 steals on 23 attempts in 470 plate appearances. Merrifield has also chipped in 4 Defensive Runs Saved and a 1.3 Ultimate Zone Rating between second base and the outfield. The entire package has been worth 2.9 bWAR/2.7 fWAR. Between Merrifield’s affordability and his on-field excellence, there’s a case the rebuilding Royals should trade him – they’d surely net an exorbitant return – but it doesn’t look as if it’s going to happen.

Meanwhile, reliever Jake Diekman seems almost guaranteed to change uniforms by the end of the month. In addition to the already reported Phillies, Dodgers and Nationals, Diekman has drawn interest from the Cubs, Cardinals and Braves, per Morosi. Diekman, 32, is on a $2.75MM guarantee and has a $5.75MM mutual option for 2020. The hard-throwing left-hander has pitched to a pedestrian 4.75 ERA in 41 2/3 innings this season. But he has logged a far better 3.36 FIP with 13.61 K/9, 4.97 BB/9 and a 48.4 percent groundball rate.

Royals Release Wily Peralta

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July 24: Peralta has cleared release waivers and is now a free agent, per a club announcement.

July 22: The Royals announced that they have requested unconditional release waivers on right-hander Wily Peralta. He’d been designated for assignment over the weekend.

Peralta, 30, has pitched to an ugly 5.80 ERA with a similarly unsightly 24-to-19 K/BB ratio in 40 1/3 innings this season. He’s been tagged for seven home runs on the year and seen his fastball velocity drop from an average of 96.2 mph in 2018 to 94.4 mph in 2019.

Peralta did post a 3.67 ERA through 34 1/3 innings in his first season with Kansas City in 2018. However, the former Brewers hurler also averaged an untenable 6.0 walks per nine innings pitched with unfavorable ratings from fielding-independent metrics (4.73 FIP, 4.66 xFIP, 4.67 SIERA). That didn’t deter the Royals from bringing him back for a second season at a guarantee of $3.25MM. He’s still owed just under $847K of this year’s $2.25MM base salary in addition to a $1MM buyout on a 2020 mutual option.

That salary obligation and this year’s poor results make him a sure thing to clear release waivers and become a free agent on Wednesday. At that point, he’ll be free to sign with any club and will only be owed the prorated portion of the league minimum for any time spent in the Majors. The Royals will remain on the hook for the rest of his salary and the option buyout.

Royals Designate Wily Peralta For Assignment

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The Royals have designated righty Wily Peralta for assignment, per Jeffrey Flanagan of mlb.com. Right-hander Josh Staumont will be recalled in his place.

Once a promising young starter for the Brewers, Peralta hit the skids in 2015 and couldn’t steady himself even after a 2017 transition to the bullpen. Kansas City’s reclamation attempt also fell flat: in 42 relief appearances for the club this season, Peralta posted a 5.80 ERA/5.85 FIP on back of a mere 5.36 K/9. Command was always an issue for the now 30-year-old, who often flashed electric heat but rarely displayed the bat-missing secondary stuff to match.

The move was somewhat overdue for the Royals, whose players are afforded some of the longest leashes league-wide. The KC ’pen has again been shaky this season, though the trio at the back-end (Ian Kennedy, Jake Diekman, Scott Barlow) has been far more reliable than last season’s iteration.

Phillies Interested In Jake Diekman

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Royals left-handed reliever Jake Diekman continues to generate a solid amount of interest leading up to the July 31 trade deadline. Along with the previously reported Nationals and Dodgers, Diekman is on the Phillies’ radar, according to Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com.

Notably, Diekman entered the pros as a 30th-round pick of the Phillies in 2007 and then pitched for the team from 2012-15. The Phillies said goodbye to Diekman in the last of those seasons when they dealt him and Cole Hamels to the Rangers in a blockbuster swap.

This year’s Phillies won Friday to improve to 50-47, but their so-so record puts them 7 1/2 games back of the NL East-leading Braves. While the Phillies are tied for the NL’s second wild-card spot, it’s up for debate how aggressive they should be heading into the deadline. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail suggested last week the Phillies aren’t necessarily in position to make blockbuster additions before the end of the month. It’s unlikely his mind has changed in light of the up-and-down way the team has continued to play since MacPhail assessed its performance.

If Philadelphia is focused on making modest pickups to better its chances at earning a wild-card berth, Diekman would qualify. While the 32-year-old’s 4.89 ERA and 5.35 BB/9 in 38 2/3 innings say he wouldn’t do much to help the Phillies’ woeful bullpen, the rest of his numbers indicate otherwise. Diekman has notched a 3.60 FIP, 13-plus strikeouts per nine, a 47 percent groundball rate and induced infield flies at a 20 percent clip. He has also produced useful results against both lefties (.299 wOBA) and righties (.307).

Diekman does have a $5.75MM mutual option for 2020, which could make him more than a rental for an acquiring team if he pitches well down the stretch. Regardless, with the Royals nowhere near contention, he’s one of their prime trade chips remaining. The club has already dealt fellow veterans Homer Bailey and Martin Maldonado within the past week.

AL Notes: Astros, Tribe, Kluber, Mondesi, M. Chapman, Twins

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The Astros had interest in trading for catcher Martin Maldonado before the Cubs acquired him from the Royals on Monday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (subscription link). Maldonado was a pre-deadline pickup for Houston last July, when it acquired him from the division-rival Angels, but the Astros’ attempt to re-sign him during the offeason failed. The Astros then brought in free agent Robinson Chirinos, who has been their No. 1 backstop all year but has slumped of late. Chirinos is a better hitter than Maldonado, but the latter is far and away the superior defender. Astros backup catcher Max Stassi is another defense-first option, though he’s having a much worse season at the plate than Maldonado. For Houston, re-acquiring Maldonado could have brought about the end of the out-of-options Stassi’s time on its 40-man roster.

More on a few other American League clubs…

  • Indians ace Corey Kluber’s recovery from the fractured right forearm he suffered May 1 took a significant step Wednesday, per Paul Hoynes of cleveland.com. Kluber threw an all-fastball, 20-pitch bullpen session – his first since incurring the injury – without any issues. “Everybody came out smiling,” manager Terry Francona said. Kluber will throw a bullpen again Sunday, though there’s still no timetable for his return to the majors. Despite having to deal with long-term absences of Kluber and fellow rotation stalwarts Carlos Carrasco and Mike Clevinger this season, the Indians are 54-40 and tied for the AL’s second wild-card spot.
  • Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi went to the injured list with a left shoulder subluxation Wednesday. Fortunately, the injury isn’t as severe as Mondesi initially feared, Lynn Worthy of the Kansas City Star tweets. With that said, it remains unknown how much time the 23-year-old cornerstone will miss. A former stud prospect, Mondesi has developed into an untouchable major leaguer for the Royals, having combined passable offense with plus defense and excellent base running since a breakout 2018.
  • Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman left their win over the Mariners on Wednesday with left ankle soreness, Oakland announced. Chapman is day-to-day, Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle relays. Winners of eight of 10 and tied with Cleveland for the AL’s second wild-card position, the A’s are rolling thanks in part to Chapman, who’s enjoying another superstar-caliber campaign. The 26-year-old has torched the opposition for a .279/.363/.552 batting line with 22 home runs and 4.2 fWAR over 405 plate appearances in 2019.
  • The Twins designated reliever Mike Morin for assignment Tuesday, which came as somewhat of a surprise considering the 3.18 ERA and .79 BB/9 the right-hander has posted in 22 2/3 innings this season. Manager Rocco Baldelli admitted it was a “very difficult” decision to jettison Morin, who did “his job very well” (via Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com). With 37 players on their 40-man roster after Morin’s DFA, the Twins “will almost certainly” select a reliever from the minors (recent pickups Cody Allen and Carlos Torres are among the candidates) or acquire one via trade to replace him.

Adalberto Mondesi Diagnosed With Shoulder Subluxation

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The Royals announced today that budding star shortstop Adalberto Mondesi has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder subluxation. It’s not surprising to hear of the IL placement, but the diagnosis represents a potentially worrying turn to the situation.

The club has not yet given indication as to the course of treatment or anticipated timeline for Mondesi’s return. He’ll be replaced on the active roster by infielder Humberto Arteaga. Just-acquired lefty Mike Montgomery is also coming to the majors, with righty Jake Newberry optioned to make way.

We won’t know more until the team elects to disclose further information, but it is worth noting that shoulder subluxations can be rather significant injuries for position players. In recent years, players such as Marco Hernandez, Guillermo Heredia, and Jesse Winker have required surgery for injuries falling under that category. In Winker’s case, he was declared out for the remainder of the season following a late-July procedure but was able to get back to health for the start of the ensuing campaign.

Regardless of the particular outlook for Mondesi, the club’s unfavorable postseason outlook won’t be altered. But he’s one of the Royals’ chief ballpark draws and it’d certainly be preferable to keep him on the field and gaining further experience against MLB pitching. Mondesi hasn’t quite followed up on his strong output from 2018. Through 335 plate appearances this year, he’s slashing .266/.294/.433 with seven home runs but carries a suboptimal combination of 16 walks and 101 strikeouts.

If Mondesi can find a way to improve in the plate-discipline department and get that OBP heading north, he’d have even greater opportunity to put his exceptional legs to work on the basepaths. As it stands, he already leads the league with 31 swipes. This injury will limit Mondesi’s reps at the plate in 2019, robbing him of some opportunity for further development.

Yankees Acquire Terrance Gore

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The Yankees announced today that they have acquired speedy outfielder Terrance Gore from the Royals. The deal sends cash considerations back to Kansas City.

Gore will not land on the New York 40-man, per the announcement. It seems that the deal was struck after he cleared waivers. Gore was designated for assignment recently.

The 28-year-old will open his tenure with the Yanks at Triple-A. No doubt he’ll wait there until the club has a need for a stolen-base threat and defensive specialist.

Gore, who swiped 13 bags this year in 37 games, will make for an intriguing potential postseason roster weapon for the Yanks. The fleet-footed baserunning expert has appeared in nine playoff games, logging five steals, despite taking just 19 total regular-season MLB plate appearances before the current season.

Injury Notes: Mondesi, Hembree, A’s, Webb

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Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi is headed for an MRI on his left shoulder after sustaining an injury on a diving attempt at a foul pop in yesterday’s game, writes Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com. Mondesi told teammate Hunter Dozier that he thinks he dislocated his shoulder upon impact, and the video of the injury makes it apparent that the shortstop immediately knew something was wrong in his shoulder; Mondesi briefly attempted to lift his left arm before leaving it still and motioning toward his left shoulder with his right hand. The Royals obviously aren’t contending for a postseason berth, and Mondesi himself was never a trade candidate, but a prolonged absence would still be deflating for the club. The 23-year-old Mondesi has slumped a bit lately but generally been a bright spot since claiming an everyday role in 2018. Dating back to last season, Mondesi is hitting .270/.299/.462 with 21 home runs and a whopping 62 stolen bases in roughly a full season’s worth of work (156 games, 648 plate appearances).

  • Red Sox right-hander Heath Hembree’s average fastball velocity is down roughly 2.5 mph since his return from the injured list, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com observes. As one would expect, Hembree’s decreased velocity and his potentially related struggles — three runs on three hits and no outs recorded Tuesday — raised red flags with manager Alex Cora and the coaching staff. Cora said after the game that the Sox would “check in” Hembree to gauge how he’s feeling, acknowledging some concern over the right-hander.
  • Stephen Piscotty, on the injured list due to a sprained MCL in his right knee, is confident that he can return to the Athletics on the shorter end of his initial four- to six-week timeline, writes Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. He could begin a minor league rehab stint next week and potentially return before month’s end. Meanwhile, lefty Sean Manaea will make a third rehab start with Class-A Stockton on Thursday before transferring his rehab to Triple-A — likely for another three starts. That’d put Manaea in line for an August return — an encouraging timeline for an A’s club that once feared he’d miss the entire 2019 season.
  • An MRI on Jacob Webb’s right elbow did not reveal any structural damage, writes Andrew Wagner of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. As such, the Braves are hopeful that the right-hander, who was placed on the IL with an elbow impingement Monday, can begin playing catch within a matter of days. Webb, 25, has been a breath of fresh air for an Atlanta ’pen that struggled early in 2019. Through 32 1/3 innings, he’s pitched to a 1.32 ERA with nine holds and a pair of saves. Beyond the bottom-line results, Webb’s numbers are a bit of a mixed bag. He sports pedestrian strikeout and walk rates, and he’s benefited from a .233 average on balls in play and an 86 percent strand rate. However, his swinging-strike rate (13.1 percent) suggests more punchouts could manifest in the future, and Statcast is bullish on the low quality of contact he’s allowed to opponents (.281 xwOBA).
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