Angels-Royals Blockbuster Trade Idea Sends 17-HR Slugger To Kansas City
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The Kansas City Royals have to find some extra power if they want to compete for a pennant in 2025.
So far this season, the Royals rank dead last in home runs, 26th in on-base percentage, and 28th in runs. It's a marvel that they've managed to stay three games above .500, but they can't count on their pitching staff to bail them out all year.
The Royals' outfield has been particularly punchless, with only eight home runs as a group (you guessed it, that ranks dead last). At the trade deadline, it seems obvious that they'll look for a corner outfielder with some pop.
There are a lot of interesting names who could be available come July, but Matt Chabot has a target in mind for the Royals who Kansas City's front office has long coveted: Taylor Ward of the Los Angeles Angels.
"For almost two years now, Taylor Ward has been rumored to be a player the Royals may have interest and I don’t see any reason why that would change now," Chabot wrote.
"Ward has been a reliable outfielder, with an OPS over 700 every year since 2020, and is solid with the glove as well. He has another year of team control after this season as well,l which will appeal greatly to the Royals."
Ward would give the Royals a lot more thump, and that's probably enough reason to ignore the questionable .268 on-base percentage. At the time of publication, he had just mashed his 17th homer of the season off the Boston Red Sox's Lucas Giolito, to go with 42 RBI and a .762 OPS.
Will this summer be the time the Angels finally pull the trigger on dealing the 31-year-old slugger? While it's no guarantee, his value is probably at its peak, and it's not like Los Angeles is close enough to the playoffs to justify keeping him.
More MLB: Orioles Could Trade $9 Million All-Star To Royals In Deadline Blockbuster
Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org
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