Brewers-Royals Trade Idea From ESPN Insider Is Terrible Idea For KC
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Maikel Garcia's name has been cropping up in a lot of trade buzz lately, and it just doesn't make much sense.
The 25-year-old Garcia has been the breakout position player star of the Kansas City Royals' season. He just made his first career All-Star Game appearance, and he's leading the team with a .291 batting average and .346 on-base percentage.
But the Royals have been bad, which is causing most analysts to agree they should sell at next week's trade deadline. And Garcia, who won't be a free agent until after the 2029 season, would be an intriguing target for a lot of teams.
On Wednesday, Jeff Passan of ESPN went as far as to name Garcia as the "best fit" for the Milwaukee Brewers, who share the best record in baseball, out of all potential targets at the trade deadline.
"To be clear: Kansas City has shown no inclination to move Garcia, who can play all around the diamond but is a very good shortstop, and the Brewers aren't actively seeking a replacement for Joey Ortiz at short," Passan wrote.
"This is more a reflection of how deep the Brewers are -- and why they own the best record in baseball: There are no clear holes on this roster."
Sure, the Brewers might love Garcia. He'd be a great defensive shortstop and his offensive game might still have more room for growth. But the Royals would be foolish to entertain the notion, even if the Brewers (or any team) offer a robust package.
Baseball history has taught us that with a few noteworthy exceptions, the bird in the hand is worth more than the two to four prospects in the bush. For every Fernando Tatís Jr. cautionary tale, there are five trades where the established star kept excelling and the prospects never panned out.
The Royals' biggest need is offense. Why even think about trading one of their few reliable offensive contributors if they have any intention of competing next season?
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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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