Royals Reliever Emerging as Potential Trade Chip Ahead of Deadline

As the calendar moves into mid-June, the Aug. 3 trade deadline is quickly approaching. With a 28-43 record, it will be interesting to see what the Kansas City Royals do ahead of the deadline.

The majority of Kansas City's trade chips come from its pitching staff. Both the rotation and bullpen feature arms that could be on the move in the future.

In the Royals' bullpen, one reliever has turned a corner after a rocky start to the season, making him another potential trade option as the deadline approaches.

John Schreiber has emerged as a bright spot in the Royals' bullpen

May 24, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher John Schreiber (46) reacts during the eighth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Right-handed pitcher John Schreiber has bounced back after a less-than-ideal start to the 2026 season.

In his first 13 appearances this season, Schreiber logged 11 2/3 innings. During that span, he allowed six runs, two home runs, issued seven walks and recorded just five strikeouts.

It was a slow start for the 32-year-old, but he quickly turned things around and put together a productive month of May.

In May, Schreiber posted a 0.87 ERA across 10 1/3 innings. He allowed just one run on one home run while walking three batters and recording seven strikeouts. It was a big month for the reliever.

One key takeaway from Schreiber's recent success is that his velocity appears to be higher than usual as of late.

Schreiber's four-seam fastball has averaged 93.1 mph this season, according to Statcast. However, he has recently been sitting in the 94-95 mph range and has topped out at 97 mph.

Another takeaway that goes hand in hand with his increased velocity is his strikeout production. Through his first 6 2/3 innings in June, Schreiber has already recorded nine strikeouts.

In the Royals' 8-7 loss to the Houston Astros on Saturday, Schreiber recorded three strikeouts across 1 2/3 innings while generating seven whiffs.

For a pitcher with a funky arm slot and an ability to generate ground balls, shown by his 45.8% groundball rate this season, an increase in both velocity and strikeouts is an encouraging sign. It only adds to his value.

It will be interesting to see what Kansas City does ahead of the trade deadline, with so many factors at play. But if Schreiber continues to pitch well, he could become a serious trade candidate before Aug. 3.

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