Braves-Royals Trade Idea Sees Atlanta Cut Ties With 3x All-Star, 2x Silver Slugger
A new middle-of-the-order slugger could do wonders for the Kansas City Royals. But who could they realistically target?
Offense has been the missing ingredient for the .500 Royals, and power hitting has specifically been their biggest struggle. With 46 home runs on the season, the Royals are not only dead last in Major League Baseball, but they have less than half as many long balls as the top five teams.
So if the Royals could nab a hitter with 39 home runs a year ago and 40 the year before that, shouldn't they jump all over it?
Well, that opportunity might arise at this year's trade deadline, according to one opportunistic baseball writer.
On Wednesday, FanSided's Zachary Rotman named the Royals as a prospective trade suitor for Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, a three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger who is approaching free agency this winter.
"Ozuna would immediately be their second-best hitter behind Bobby Witt Jr., and arguably their biggest home run threat even while playing compromised. This Royals team doesn't do nearly enough damage offensively to make the playoffs, let alone go far in October," Rotman wrote.
"Ozuna's fit in Kansas City would be a bit strange as it'd force Jac Caglianone, a rookie with limited exposure to the outfield, to be a regular in right field. But if sacrificing defense is what will get this lineup another bat that it desperately needs, the Royals would be foolish to not pursue it."
Ozuna is playing through a hip issue that has affected him since mid-April, and it's sapping some of his power, as he only has 10 home runs and a .420 slugging percentage this year. But he's made up for it with a career-high 18.1 percent walk rate, resulting in a .395 on-base percentage.
Kansas City should monitor both Ozuna's health and the 29-38 Braves' progress. If Atlanta becomes a seller, the Royals could pounce.
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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