Royals $5.5 Million ex-All-Star Could Be Trade Chip At Deadline
The Kansas City Royals got off to a rough start in 2025 after their surprise Wild Card berth the previous season. However, they have gotten hot lately and won six of their last seven games, coming to within one game of the .500 mark.
Still, it's unclear what the Royals strategy will be at the trade deadline. Granted, it's still only April, so there's time to figure that out. But they could potentially go in either direction.
Should the Royals end up selling at the deadline, they have a possible trade chip in right-hander Michael Lorenzen. Oliver Vandervoort of FanSided recently discussed the possibility of the Royals trading him.
Should the Royals be looking to sell, his departure is obviously far more likely. The veteran reliever is earning $5.5 million this year and while he’s technically got a mutual option, should it be picked up, his salary would jump to $12 million according to Spotrac. That makes it extremely unlikely Kansas City will indeed pick it up," Vandervoort wrote.
In five starts this year, Lorenzen is 2-3 with a 3.90 ERA. But he can be used as both a starter or a swingman reliever. He was an All-Star for the first time back in 2023.
Rental starters have been generating massive hauls at the trade deadline over the past two seasons, with an obvious example being the haul the Toronto Blue Jays got for Yusei Kikuchi last year.
Kansas City could bring back a promising prospect or two if they decide to ship Lorenzen off at the deadline.
More MLB: Royals Could Soon Cut Ties With $4.5 Million Former World Series Champion
Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Communication and currently writes as a contributor for various platforms covering Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.
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