This Royals Blockbuster Mock Trade Would Land $50 Million All-Star From AL Rival

The Kansas City Royals have fallen into an offseason lull. Let's change that.

After making some noteworthy moves in November and December (i.e. Michael Wacha's extension and the Jonathan India trade), the Royals have been slow to move on free agents or other potential trades. They've checked in on trade candidates like Alec Bohm and Nolan Arenado, but that's been a fruitless exercise.

It's undeniable, though, that the Royals need one more slugger in the middle of their order. Behind Bobby Witt Jr., they don't have nearly enough consistent power threats, especially considering the likely aging curve of catcher Salvador Perez.

The farm system isn't particularly deep in Kansas City at the moment, but there should be enough in the pipeline to land at least one more star. And that star could be on the roster of one of the Royals' division rivals.

Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. is entering the final year of his $50 million extension, though he also comes with club options for $20 million in both 2026 and 2027. He's been one of the most frequently discussed trade candidates in baseball over the last two years, but still hasn't been moved.

Even in a down year in 2024, Robert was more productive than the Royals' outfielders at the plate. In 2023, he clubbed 38 home runs and won a Silver Slugger Award.

Here, then, is a trade package that could help the Royals land Robert to bolster their languishing offense:

Royals receive: CF Luis Robert Jr.

White Sox receive: RHP Ben Kurdna (Royals No. 3 prospect), C Carter Jenkins (No. 5), OF Asbel Gonzalez (No. 20).

Kurdna is the Royals' top pitching prospect, having reached Double-A in 2024, while Jenkins is more expendable since he's buried in the catching pipeline behind number-two prospect Blake Mitchell, not to mention Perez and Freddy Fermin at the big-league level.

Meanwhile, Gonzalez reached Double-A at the age of 19 in 2024 and though he's not a finished product, the Venezuelan product could one day develop into a suitable replacement for Robert in Chicago.

You've got to give up something good to get something good, and even coming off a down year, Robert would greatly raise the ceiling on the Royals' 2025 season. And the White Sox are so far from contending for the playoffs that they shouldn't care about the ramifications of trading him within the division.

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