'Perfect' Royals Trade Idea Would Land Angels Slugger For 1.5 Seasons
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As the Kansas City Royals begin their two-month search for big bats, it's worth taking stock of some of the potential sellers around Major League Baseball.
It seems like the pool of teams willing to trade away veterans is shrinking by the year, as the expanded playoff format has convinced most mediocre clubs not to give up on their seasons by the end of July. But the Royals will have at least a few intriguing options.
The Los Angeles Angels are only five games under .500, but it's hard to imagine them making much of a playoff push. Their offense is surprisingly potent, though, and they've got some veterans that could very well interest the Royals this summer.
On Friday, FanSided's Vincent Page singled out one target for the Royals to keep a close watch on: Taylor Ward, the 31-year-old outfielder who leads the Halos with 17 home runs so far this season.
"The most obvious and significant pairing here would be Taylor Ward. He is hitting the ball about as well as anyone in the MLB this past month and could slide in rather easily to the top of the Royals' lineup," Page wrote.
"With their ability to get on base, the opportunities to score would take a big jump if Ward slid in behind them. Given how poorly the corner outfielders have been in Kansas City, this would appear to be the most likely trade between the two teams."
It's true that Ward is a power over an on-base type of hitter. He's only reaching base at a .265 clip this year, and his career .323 mark is better, but still unremarkable. However, any team will take a crack at a guy slugging .487, which ranks 34th in baseball among qualified hitters (and ahead of anyone on the Royals).
The Royals would also get an extra year of Ward, who is arbitration-eligible for the final time in 2026.
While he's only one entry on a list of many to keep in mind for the next two months, maybe add a little star next to Ward's name.
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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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