Royals Could Land Ex-Yankees, Blue Jays Gold Glover At Trade Deadline
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The Jul. 31 trade deadline is already looming, and the Kansas City Royals have work to do.
Some of the work has to be done on the field, as the Royals currently sit outside playoff position. But the front office will have to hold up its end of the bargain, as this team has been a disappointment so far, particularly on offense.
No one is asking the Royals to be world-beaters. They simply have to be better than a bottom-five offensive team, and they have yet to prove that's the case. At the trade deadline, they just need competent hitters, perhaps who can also help improve the team's defensive identity as well.
One baseball writer has a former Gold Glove utility player in mind who has bounced around to several teams already in his up-and-down career.
On Monday, Matt Chabot of Royals Review named Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who has already played for the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, and Toronto Blue Jays, as a possible trade deadline target for Kansas City.
"The first name that catches my eye when I look at the Pirates may shock some people. Isiah Kiner-Falefa has had the best offensive season he's ever had, with career highs in almost every category at the plate," Chabot wrote.
"He has always been an above-average defender, despite having a down season this year with the glove. IKF has experience playing almost every position defensively and has double-digit steals in every season since 2021."
Kiner-Falefa, 30, has a .738 OPS/106 OPS+ in 48 games this season. He's been the Pirates' everyday shortstop, but has significant experience at third base, second base, and even left and center field in his career. His Gold Glove came at third base for the Rangers in 2020.
Ultimately, the Royals would probably feel more confident acquiring a player with more of an offense-first profile. But getting Kiner-Falefa would still be better than leaving the roster untouched.
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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
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