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Cardinals Release Jhonny Peralta

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The Cardinals have released infielder Jhonny Peralta, per a club announcement. The veteran had recently been designated for assignment.

It’s no surprise that Peralta cleared waivers. He’s earning $10MM in 2017, the final season of the four-year free agent deal he signed when he joined the Cards.

At 35 years of age, Peralta seems to have hit a wall. After struggling through an injury-riddled 2016 campaign, there was hope that he’d bounce back this year. But he’s hitting only .204/.259/.204 through 58 plate appearances.

The story is similar on the defensive side of the spectrum. Generally regarded as a solid, albeit unspectacular shortstop, Peralta has drawn negative reviews for his glovework since the start of 2015 — even after moving over to third base last year. DRS and UZR have both pegged him at average thus far in 2017, though that’s in a sample of just 114 innings.

Still, it’s easy to imagine rival organizations taking a look at a player who was an All-Star in 2015. That’s especially true since Peralta can be had for the league-minimum salary, with St. Louis continuing to pay the vast majority of his salary. Even if he’s not capable of handling short on a day-to-day basis, it helps that he brings so much experience at the position. All said, for clubs in need of some versatility around the diamond, taking a chance on the 15-year MLB veteran may hold quite a bit of appeal.

Knocking Down The Door: Chapman, Eshelman, Font, Jones, Leblebijian

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“Knocking Down the Door” is a weekly feature that identifies minor leaguers who are making a case for a big league promotion.

Matt Chapman, 3B, Oakland Athletics (Triple-A Nashville)

In an ideal scenario for a non-competitive A’s team, Trevor Plouffe would already be generating interest on the trade market with Chapman ready to take over at the hot corner sometime in August or even September. Instead, the A’s aren’t anywhere close to a playoff spot and Plouffe’s trade value might be as low as it’s ever been—he has a .640 OPS and is in a 7-for-53 slump with 20 strikeouts over that span. Therefore, moving up the 24-year-old Chapman’s MLB debut seems more likely by the day.

The 25th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Chapman had a rough start to the season. After going 0-for-7 with six strikeouts, he injured his wrist and missed the next two weeks. He had just three singles in his first 23 at-bats after returning, but he finally caught fire in early May and hasn’t slowed down since. He finished May with 11 homers and a 1.031 OPS. So far in June, the right-handed slugger has hit five out of the park and has a 1.014 OPS. Ryon Healy was called up in mid-July of last season. At this rate, Chapman should be up prior to the All-Star break.

Athletics Depth Chart

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Tom Eshelman, SP, Philadelphia Phillies (Triple-A Lehigh Valley)

Heading into the season, Eshelman couldn’t have been higher than 10th on the Phillies’ starting rotation depth chart. Just two months into the season, though, he’s making a strong case to be next in line. Injuries to Clay Buchholz and Vince Velasquez have helped, but the 22-year-old’s quick rise has mostly been a result of his performance.

In 12 starts—seven in Triple-A and five in Double-A—Eshelman has posted a 2.11 ERA with only 10 walks and 59 strikeouts in 81 innings. Since two somewhat shaky starts to begin the season with Double-A Reading (10 IP, 4 ER, 13 H), he’s been lights out, completing at least 6 innings in his last 10 starts with no more than one walk allowed and a 1.90 ERA.

Phillies Depth Chart

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Wilmer Font, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers (Triple-A Oklahoma City)

While it seems unlikely that Font makes a start for the Dodgers in 2017, it’s hard for them—or other teams around the league—to not be intrigued by the significant jump in his strikeout rate this season. In 12 starts over 65 innings, the 27-year-old right-hander has 95 strikeouts and only 13 walks. That’s more than two walks below and two strikeouts above his career BB/9 (4.1) and K/9 (10.6) rates over his lengthy Minor League career. He’s also keeping runs allowed at a minimum, posting a 3.15 ERA over his last 11 starts, including a 15-strikeout game in which he was perfect through six innings.

As important as pitching depth is, it’s likely that the Dodgers will hold on to Font just in case he’s needed at some point to give them some innings. But it also wouldn’t be a big surprise if a team in need of a starter tries to pry him away from the Dodgers in the near future, allowing them to cash in on a Minor League free agent acquisition.

Dodgers Depth Chart

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Ryder Jones, 3B, San Francisco Giants (Triple-A Sacramento)

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Top prospect Christian Arroyo was able to give the Giants a spark upon his arrival in the big leagues—he held his own at the plate and had a few big homers early on—but slumped badly before he was demoted in early June. He’ll be back at some point, but the 22-year-old might be better off staying in Triple-A until September.

In the meantime, the 23-year-old Jones has set himself for a possible promotion with an impressive display of hitting (.292/.392/.522; 7 HR, 12 2B) and defensive versatility (he’s primarily a third baseman, but he’s also played left field, right field, first base and shortstop). Unless the struggling Giants can turn things around in the very near future, it’s likely that third baseman Eduardo Nuñez will be on the trade block, which could give Jones an opening to regular playing time. For now, his left-handed bat and ability to play multiple positions could help the team during their last-ditch effort to jump back into the playoff picture.

Giants Depth Chart

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Jason Leblebijian, 2B, Toronto Blue Jays (Triple-A Buffalo)

Injuries throughout the Blue Jays’ infield have kept Ryan Goins busy—he’s started 40 of the team’s 63 games—but, as would’ve been expected, he’s not providing much offense (.605 OPS).  A healthy return from Devon Travis, who is on the disabled list with a knee injury, would push him back to a bench role. But given Travis’ extensive injury history and without a current timetable for return, it could be a good time to give Leblebijian a look at second base.

The former 25th Round draft pick has a .310/.380/.518 slash line with eight homers and 11 doubles in his first 57 Triple-A games. While his International League numbers aren’t likely to carry over to the Majors, they’re interesting enough, along with his strong defensive ability, to find out if he’s capable of helping the Jays out now.

Blue Jays Depth Chart

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Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

2017 MLB Draft Results — Compensation & Competitive Balance Round A

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With the traditional first-round picks in the books, we’ll use this post to track the “sandwich” selections that come before the second round: compensatory picks awarded to clubs that lost QO-declining free agents as well as Round A of the competitive balance picks (tradeable choices that are awarded by lottery to low-revenue/small market clubs).

Here are the picks:

Compensation Picks

28. Blue Jays — Nate Pearson, RHP, College of Central Florida

29. Rangers — Chris Seise, SS, West Orange HS (Florida)

30. Cubs — Alex Lange, RHP, Louisiana State

Competitive Balance (Round A) Picks

31. Rays — Drew Rasmussen, RHP, Oregon State

32. Reds — Jeter Downs, SS, Pace HS (Florida)

33. Athletics — Kevin Merrell, INF, South Florida

34. Brewers — Tristen Lutz, OF, Martin HS (Texas)

35. Twins — Brent Rooker, OF, Mississippi State

36. Marlins — Brian Miller, OF, North Carolina

2017 MLB Draft Results — First Round

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The 2017 MLB Draft is underway, and we’ll track the first-round picks as they come in — starting with the first 27 picks (worst-to-first, and excepting teams that sacrificed picks to sign qualifying offer-declining free agents). We’ll fire up another post for the “sandwich” choices: selections awarded to clubs that lost QO-declining free agents and competitive balance Round A picks.

Here are the picks:

  1. Twins — Royce Lewis, SS, JSerra Catholic HS (California)
  2. Reds — Hunter Greene, RHP/SS, Notre Dame HS (California)
  3. Padres — MacKenzie Gore, LHP, Whiteville HS (North Carolina)
  4. Rays — Brendan McKay, 1B/LHP, Louisville
  5. Braves — Kyle Wright, RHP, Vanderbilt
  6. Athletics — Austin Beck, OF, North Davidson HS (North Carolina)
  7. Diamondbacks — Pavin Smith, 1B, Virginia
  8. Phillies — Adam Haseley, OF, Virginia
  9. Brewers — Keston Hiura, 2B, UC Irvine
  10. Angels — Jordan Adell, OF, Ballard HS (Kentucky)
  11. White Sox — Jake Burger, 3B, Missouri State
  12. Pirates — Shane Baz, RHP, Concordia Lutheran HS (Texas)
  13. Marlins — Trevor Rogers, LHP, Carlsbad HS (New Mexico)
  14. Royals — Nick Pratto, 1B, Huntington Beach HS (California)
  15. Astros —J.B. Bukauskas, RHP, North Carolina
  16. Yankees — Clarke Schmidt, RHP, South Carolina
  17. Mariners — Evan White, 1B, Kentucky
  18. Tigers — Alex Faedo, RHP, Florida
  19. Giants — Heliot Ramos, OF, Leadership Christian Academy (Puerto Rico)
  20. Mets — David Peterson, LHP, Oregon
  21. Orioles — D.L. Hall, LHP, Valdosta HS (Georgia)
  22. Blue Jays — Logan Warmoth, SS, North Carolina
  23. Dodgers — Jeren Kendall, OF, Vanderbilt
  24. Red Sox — Tanner Houck, RHP, Missouri
  25. Nationals — Seth Romero, LHP, Houston
  26. Rangers — Bubba Thompson, OF, McGill-Toolen Catholic HS (Alabama)
  27. Cubs — Brendon Little, LHP, State College of Florida

Twins Select Royce Lewis First Overall

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The Twins have taken high school infielder Royce Lewis with the first overall pick of the 2017 amateur draft, as Keith Law of ESPN.com suggested on Twitter and John Manuel of Baseball America tweeted would occur. The selection is the first for the organization’s newly installed front office, led by chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and GM Thad Levine.

With the draft clock ticking down, reports suggested that Minnesota had whittled it down to two possibilities: Louisville two-way star Brendan McKay and Lewis. But McKay’s camp declined to take the bonus that Minnesota was offering him, according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis (via Twitter), leaving the team to move on.

The 18-year-old Lewis is seen as a highly projectable talent who may thrive in center field even if he can’t stick at short. He hails from California’s JSerra Catholic High School. MLB.com’s team of Callis and Jonathan Mayo joined Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs in ranking Lewis as the fifth overall prospect on the board. Baseball America had him at seventh.

High-school righty Hunter Greene and Vanderbilt starter Kyle Wright have drawn the most votes as the top overall player available. But every team’s assessments are different. And maximizing an overall draft requires bonus pool management. The first overall slot came with over $7.7MM in total spending capacity, some of which will likely be allocated to other selections.

Latest On Nate Jones

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White Sox righty Nate Jones chatted today with reporters, including Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago (Twitter link), about his efforts to work back from the DL. Per Jones, a recurrence of symptoms of elbow neuritis forced a halt to his throwing program.

Jones, 31, made his last appearance on April 28th, so he has already been down for six weeks. It’s somewhat concerning, then, to hear that the issue continues to linger. At the same time, another MRI came back clean, so there’s still no reason to fear that a more significant problem may be underlying the discomfort.

Looking ahead, Jones will need to be cleared medically to resume throwing before he can once again begin working toward a return. He suggested that could come in relatively short order, though in all likelihood a somewhat more conservative approach will be required this time around.

If Jones can begin making progress, it’s still plausible to imagine him factoring in this summer’s trade market. The late-blooming reliever is a rather unique asset. He carries a 2.30 ERA since the start of the 2016 campaign, with 95 strikeouts in 82 1/3 innings. But his health history includes some red flags — including Tommy John surgery in 2014 — and Jones will turn 32 before the start of the 2018 campaign. On the other hand, there’s plenty of upside in Jones’s contract, which promises him just $3.95MM next year and comes with three cheap option years. (The pact also includes some complicated vesting provisions that would make the options somewhat less team-friendly if he’s able to avoid elbow surgery by the end of next season.)

Draft Chatter: Lewis, McKay, College Arms, Mock Drafts, A’s

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With the MLB Draft just a few hours away, there’s some increasing talk that the Twins are giving serious consideration to high school shortstop Royce Lewis with the No. 1 overall pick. John Manuel of Baseball America tweeted today that Lewis is in consideration and adds that he was told by a Twins official that signability is a factor for the Twins up top. Yahoo’s Jeff Passan tweets that the Twins are down to Lewis and Louisville left-hander/first baseman Brendan McKay. Meanwhile, 1500 ESPN’s Darren Wolfson tweeted that as of this morning, a Twins front office source told him that no decision has been made.

For those wondering whether the Twins may cut a deal with Lewis to save money and allow greater spending with their Comp Balance pick and second-round selection, FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweets that Lewis has a high asking price. (Lewis is reportedly being advised by agent Scott Boras.) Adding to the Lewis/Twins steam is La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, who tweeted that with less than three hours until the Twins are on the clock, the Lewis steam is real. McKay and flamethrowing righty Hunter Greene are both in the mix, Neal adds, and money is a significant factor in the decision. Obviously, the Twins will spend their entire allotted draft budget regardless of who they take, but the amount for which the first overall pick signs will determine how aggressive the Twins can be on pick Nos. 35 and 37 as well as with the rest of their selections.

A bit more on tonight’s draft…

  • Fangraphs’ Gerald Schifman takes an excellent look at the usage of some of the top college arms in the draft, examining each pitcher’s average pitches per start, the percentage of starts in excess of 115 pitches and the number of “Pitch Smart” violations. (More details on the Pitch Smart guidelines here.) Notably, projected top picks like Vanderbilt’s Kyle Wright and Louisville’s Brendan McKay have had their pitch counts and rest between starts managed quite well for the most part. On the other end of the spectrum is UCLA righty Griffin Canning, who has throw 115+ pitches in 53 percent of his outings in the past two seasons. Missouri’s Tanner Houck has also had some troubling usage trends, including high pitch counts and a lack of rest between outings.
  • As is always the case on draft day, there are a number of last-minute mock drafts from some industry experts that readers and draft followers will want to check out. Both Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com agree that the top five picks will go Brendan McKay (Twins), Hunter Greene (Reds), MacKenzie Gore (Padres), Royce Lewis (Rays) and Keston Hiura (Braves). That, somewhat surprisingly, would leave Kyle Wright out of the top five, though Callis has him going sixth to the A’s, while Mayo has him going seventh to the D-backs. BA’s John Manuel agrees with that top three, though he has high school outfielder Bubba Thompson going to the Rays and Wright going to the Braves at No. 5. ESPN’s Keith Law also published a draft-day mock, listing McKay, Greene, Gore, Lewis and Wright as his respective top five.
  • The Athletics are up with the No. 6 pick in the draft tonight, and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle connects them to a number of outfielders and pitchers. High school lefty MacKenzie Gore is on Oakland’s radar, though many project him to go before the A’s are on the clock. High school outfielder Austin Beck is also an Athletics target and recently had a private workout with the A’s. Slusser notes that they’d be thrilled to see Kyle Wright slip to them with the sixth selection, similarly to the manner in which Florida lefty A.J. Puk dropped to Oakland last year after being discussed as a potential 1-1 option. Wright’s teammate, outfielder Jeren Kendall, is also intriguing to the A’s, per Slusser.

Minor MLB Transactions: 6/12/17

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Here are Monday’s minor moves from around the game…

  • The Twins have signed right-hander Tim Melville to a minor league deal and assigned him to their Triple-A affiliate in Rochester, according to Nate Rowan, the PR director of their Rochester affiliate (Twitter link). The 27-year-old Melville was a fourth-round pick by the Royals in 2008 and made his big league debut with the Reds last season, yielding 11 runs on 16 hits and nine walks in just nine innings of work. That unsightly cup of coffee aside, Melville has been enjoying a nice season with the independent Atlantic League’s Long Island Ducks. Through 47 innings, he’s worked to a 3.45 ERA with a 48-to-18 K/BB ratio. Melville has a rather pedestrian 4.61 ERA in 160 career innings at Triple-A, but he’ll add some depth to a Twins organization that recently released Nick Tepesch and promoted Triple-A lefties Nik Turley and Adalberto Mejia to the Majors.

Astros To Place Lance McCullers On Disabled List

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The Astros are placing right-hander Lance McCullers on the 10-day disabled list due to discomfort in his lower back, reports Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). McCullers, the Astros’ No. 2 starter, will join ace Dallas Keuchel on the shelf. Kaplan tweets further that the team is hopeful that McCullers can avoid a lengthy stay on the DL, though the placement of the team’s top two starters on the disabled list is obviously of some concern even if neither injury is believed to be serious at this time.

[Related: Updated Houston Astros depth chart]

The silver lining for Houston, of course, is that the team has such an enormous lead on the division that weathering the loss of its top two starters for a short period is perfectly plausible. The Astros are currently 12 games ahead of the second-place Angels and 13 games ahead of both the Mariners and Rangers. Right-hander Joe Musgrove is being activated to start tonight’s game, per Kaplan, though there’s no word yet who’ll start in place of McCullers tomorrow.

McCullers, 23, has been not only one of the best arms on the Astros but one of the best young arms in the entire American League. Through 76 2/3 innings in 2017, he’s pitched to a pristine 2.58 ERA with a gaudy 89-to-23 K/BB ratio and a sensational 63 percent ground-ball rate. With both Keuchel and McCullers sidelined for the time being, Houston will likely rely on a rotation consisting of Musgrove, Mike Fiers, Brad Peacock and David Paulino.

Top prospect Francis Martes, conceivably, could step into the team’s rotation, and dominant multi-inning reliever Chris Devenski at least makes sense as a speculative option. Other candidates on the current 40-man roster are a bit scarce, as righties Charlie Morton and Collin McHugh have not yet begun a minor league rehab assignments. Prospect Brady Rodgers, meanwhile, is out for the year due to Tommy John surgery.

Taking Inventory: Kansas City Royals

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This is the fourth entry in MLBTR’s Taking Inventory series. Click for entries on the Phillies, Pirates and Giants.

The Royals entered the 2017 season knowing full well that the majority of their World-Series-winning core was slated to hit free agency. Rather than blow it up this offseason, Kansas City traded only Wade Davis, extended Danny Duffy and then made some low-cost veteran additions to help round out the roster. Many of those moves were made in the wake of tragedy, as the Royals suffered the devastating loss of one of their core pieces this offseason when Yordano Ventura’s life was tragically taken in a car accident.

Unfortunately for Dayton Moore and his staff, their offseaon maneuverings have yet to yield on-field success. Kansas City is 5.5 games out of first place in the American League Central and currently sports Major League Baseball’s fifth-worst run differential (-47). Their 4.38 team ERA ranks 18th in the Majors, and they’re without their top pitcher, Duffy, through at least the All-Star break due to an oblique injury. Kansas City has scored the second-fewest runs in baseball as well, and their collective 80 wRC+ is the game’s third-worst mark.

According to just about any report one reads, the Royals haven’t yet decided to call it quits and are still intent on trying to make one more run. But as the summer wears on, it becomes likelier and likelier that they’ll be forced to begin fielding trade offers. Let’s break down who could become available…

Rentals

Lorenzo Cain, CF | Salary: $11MM

A premium defensive center fielder with plus baserunning skills and an above-average bat, Cain would likely be the most coveted trade asset the Royals have to offer in a potential sale. He’s hitting .265/.345/.412 with six homers (while playing in a pitcher-friendly home park), 12 steals and three to four runs saved with his glove (per Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved). His defensive prowess in center would allow him to play plus defense in an outfield corner, as well, so even contending clubs that already have center field covered could slide him (or the incumbent option) over to left or right.

Eric Hosmer, 1B | Salary: $12.25MM

Hosmer had a terrible second half in 2016 and got off to a slow start in 2017, but he’s reminded everyone why there’s talk of him potentially signing a mega-deal this offseason with his recent play. He’s hitting .314/.363/.469 on the season as a whole, and if you throw out his first 20 games of the season, that slash line jumps to a preposterous .370/.415/.574. That’s admittedly an arbitrary cutoff, and Hosmer has shown to be too ground-ball happy and prone to slumps in the past. But for the past 42 games, he’s been among baseball’s very best hitters, and a club with a void at first base/DH such as the Yankees, Rangers or Mariners (if the latter two end up as buyers) could benefit.

Mike Moustakas, 3B | Salary: $8.7MM

Moustakas missed most of the 2016 season due to a torn ACL, and while there was no way to be certain that he’d return to form in 2017, he’s done that and then some. With 17 homers and a .275/.314/.554 batting line, he’s on his way to the best offensive season of his career. Defensive metrics typically grade Moose as an above-average performer at third base, though they’re a bit mixed in the wake of last season’s knee injury. DRS has him at -3, while UZR has him at +1. At the worst, interested clubs could expect merely passable glovework accompanied by huge production against righties, though Moustakas remains overmatched by left-handed pitchers (.212/.241/.481).

Alcides Escobar, SS | Salary: $6.5MM

Escobar has never been much of an offensive performer, but he’s simply not hitting at all in 2017. With a .180/.205/.234 batting line, he’s been baseball’s least-productive bat (among qualified hitters). However, Escobar remains a gifted defender at a premium position (+2 DRS, +5 UZR) and still runs the bases well. At the least, he could be a bench piece on a contending club.

Mike Minor, LHP (reliever) | Salary: $4MM (plus $1.25MM buyout of $10MM mutual option)

Minor has thrived upon his shift to a bullpen role, embracing relief work with a 2.25 ERA, 9.3 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 and a 44.4 percent ground-ball rate through 32 2/3 innings. Lefties have posted a pathetic .125/.205/.175 batting line against him, and right-handers haven’t fared especially well, either (.243/.300/.351). Minor is technically controlled through 2018, but mutual options are so rarely exercised by both parties that he’s best viewed as a pure rental. I do think there’s at least a plausible scenario where both sides pick the option up due to Minor’s excellence but limited ’pen track record and recent health troubles. But, the contracts secured by Mike Dunn and Brett Cecil on last year’s open market suggest that Minor can do better if he continues at this pace.

Jason Vargas, LHP (starter) | Salary: $8MM

I doubt that many are buying Vargas’ sensational 2.18 ERA, but even if he’s still just viewed as the mid-rotation innings eater he’s always been, there’s plenty to like. He’s affordable, has posted modest improvements over his career K/9 and BB/9 rates and looks to have bounced back from the 2015 Tommy John surgery that ultimately cost him the better part of two seasons. Vargas might not be part of a postseason rotation, but he’d be a valuable rotation stabilizer for a team with uncertainty at the back of its starting five.

Peter Moylan, RHP (reliever) | Salary: $1MM

Moylan’s ERA is currently residing just north of 7.00 due to the fact that he’s been annihilated by left-handed batters. However, he’s been untouchable against righties, limiting same-handed opponents to a putrid .212/.268/.273 batting line through 71 plate appearances. If used properly, he can be a nice bullpen piece, and he’s certainly affordable from a financial standpoint.

Chris Young, RHP (reliever) | Salary: $5.75MM (plus $1.25MM buyout of $8MM mutual option)

Young was outstanding with Seattle and Kansas City in 2014-15, but he’s been rocked for a 6.31 ERA over the past 117 innings, and his secondary stats don’t offer much encouragement. He’ll need to improve over the next month-plus to have much in the way of trade value. He could also be an August trade candidate, as his salary is all but a lock to clear waivers.

Controlled Through 2018

Kelvin Herrera, RHP (reliever) | Salary: $5.325MM (arbitration-eligible this winter)

Herrera looks like one of the best bets to be traded this summer, but his recent performance can’t be helping his stock. Over his past 10 1/3 innings of work, Herrera has allowed 10 earned runs on the strength of three homers. So long as the homer troubles don’t continue, most will probably look past that blip and find plenty to like in the 27-year-old’s 28-to-5 K/BB ratio through 25 1/3 innings. He’s averaging nearly 98 mph and can help out a team for the next year and a half if he returns to form.

Joakim Soria, RHP (reliever) | Salary: $8MM in 2017, $9MM in 2018 (plus $1MM buyout of $10MM mutual option for 2019)

Soria’s stock in 2017 is up after a pedestrian campaign in 2016. While his 3.81 ERA isn’t too much of an improvement over last year’s 4.05 mark, Soria has averaged a career-best 12.1 K/9 to complement a career-high 60.3 percent ground-ball rate. His walks are up this season, but his uptick in strikeouts and grounders could portend a drop in his ERA. (FIP, xFIP and SIERA all like him for a sub-3.00 mark.) Given his salary, the Royals may still have to kick in a bit of cash to make him truly appealing, but he’s more marketable than he was last year.

Brandon Moss, 1B/OF | Salary: $3.75MM in 2017, $7.25MM in 2018 (plus $1MM buyout of $10MM mutual option for 2019)

It’d be tough to move Moss right now, given his woeful .181/.250/.406 batting line through his first 152 plate appearances as a Royal. He’s striking out in nearly 35 percent of his plate appearances and has become more pull-happy than ever as his hard-hit rate has dropped to its lowest level in the past three seasons. There’s still time for him to improve, but this version of Moss doesn’t carry much value.

Travis Wood, LHP (reliever) | Salary: $4MM in 2017, $6.5MM in 2018 (plus $1MM buyout of $8MM mutual option for 2019)

Like Moss, Wood signed a two-year deal with Kansas City late in free agency and looked like a nice modestly priced addition. Instead, he’s going through the worst season of his Major League career, pitching to an 8.31 ERA with as many walks (17) as strikeouts in just 21 2/3 innings. Wood’s struggles have been pretty consistent, and even left-handed hitters, who usually struggle against Wood, have teed off against him in 2017.

Jason Hammel, RHP (starter) | Salary: $5MM in 2017, $9MM in 2018 (plus $2MM buyout of $12MM mutual option for 2019)

Another two-year offseason deal that hasn’t panned out, Hammel is sitting on a 5.43 ERA with 7.1 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 35.4 percent ground-ball rate. Each of those marks represents a significant step back from his 2015-16 numbers, though Hammel has offered a glimmer of hope with a pair of excellent outings in his two most recent starts (three runs on nine hits and no walks with 11 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings). If he can continue to right the ship, his salary is reasonable enough to appeal to clubs in need of back-of-the-rotation fortification.

Drew Butera, C | Salary: $1.5MM in 2017, $2.3MM in 2018

Butera hasn’t come close to last season’s career year at the plate, though he’s never been close to even average offensive output with the exception of 2016, so expecting a repeat wasn’t really fair. He’s a well-regarded defensive catcher that could give clubs a veteran backup down the stretch.

Longer-Term Assets

Ian Kennedy, RHP (starter); Alex Gordon, OF; Seth Maness, RHP (reliever); Billy Burns, OF

The opt-out clause in Kennedy’s contract and the remaining $43MM on his contract (through 2020) make him an almost impossible player to move in light of his struggles. Kennedy’s K/BB numbers have taken significant steps back in 2017, and his 5.40 ERA makes it look certain that he’ll forgo that opt-out at season’s end, barring a sensational turnaround.

Gordon isn’t hitting at all right now, and it’s as difficult to envision a team being willing to take on his a chunk of his contract as it is to envision the Royals eating a huge chunk of money just to get rid of a player that has achieved borderline franchise icon status.

Maness and Burns are both on the 40-man and have both had some Major League success in the past. Burns is getting on base but not hitting for a shred of power in Triple-A. Maness has been better in Omaha than he has in the Majors this year, but the larger story on him is that he appears healthy after undergoing an experimental Tommy John alternative last August.

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