Royals-Rockies Blockbuster Trade Idea Brings $70 Million All-Star To KC
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The Kansas City Royals will be one of the teams facing the most pressure at the 2025 trade deadline.
After making the playoffs in 2024, the Royals are hoping for a return trip this season. So far, they've struggled to stay above .500, thanks to a languishing offense that hasn't been carried by Bobby Witt Jr.'s heroics the way it was a year ago.
The Royals also have real free agents hitting the market this winter, headlined by starting pitcher Seth Lugo. Their championship window may not be as wide open as some would think, considering their young core. So if the Royals are going to buy, they have to buy big.
Royals Review's Matt Chabot believes Kansas City could even pull off a trade for Colorado Rockies All-Star third baseman Ryan McMahon, who would be a luxury purchase for Kansas City with his $70 million contract that runs through 2027.
"Right now, my favorite option from the Rockies is Ryan McMahon, who is under contract through 2027 but is quite expensive," Chabot wrote.
"He can play second and third, but his defense is good and he has good power from the left side of the plate, which may be appealing to the Royals. Kansas City needs an outfielder and will likely not look to pay out for a third baseman with how well Maikel Garcia has played at the hot corner this year."
McMahon isn't a huge home run hitter, so Kauffman Stadium might be a solid fit for his offensive game. And he's actually pulling more fly balls than ever before in his career (17.4 percent), which could signal that more power is on the way in the second half.
Plus, with a 90th percentile walk rate, he'd improve the Royals' abysmal .305 team on-base percentage, which ranks 25th in the league.
Can the Royals afford to pay the remainder of McMahon's $12 million salary this year, then $16 million for each of the next two years? And is it even worth having him clog up that much payroll if they can? These will be crucial questions for general manager J.J. Picollo to answer.
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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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