The Kansas City Royals hoped to take a step forward this season and start shaping up their future as contenders.
It’s fair to say, at this point, that their plans have gone south.
The 18-43 Royals have only been better than the Oakland Athletics.
They have been a disaster in just about every department.
That doesn’t mean they don’t have any good players that would make for fine deadline acquisitions for other teams.
As a result, and with no realistic chances of fighting for anything this season, Kansas City is officially “open for business”.
That’s how MLB insider Ken Rosenthal described the situation.
“The #Royals are ‘open for business’ per @Ken_Rosenthal. Rosenthal notes relievers Aroldis Chapman and Scott Barlow are available and may be included in the same trade package. Any team acquiring BOTH Chapman and Barlow instantly transforms their bullpen into a postseason weapon,” MLB Deadline News tweeted.
The #Royals are “open for business” per @Ken_Rosenthal.
Rosenthal notes relievers Aroldis Chapman and Scott Barlow are available and may be included in the same trade package.
Any team acquiring BOTH Chapman and Barlow instantly transforms their bullpen into a postseason weapon pic.twitter.com/6grL2uxKNo
— MLB Deadline News (@MLBDeadlineNews) June 7, 2023
Chapman has had a renaissance since landing on the Royals on a cheap one-year deal.
He has a 2.95 ERA and a 1.97 FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) in 21.1 innings, with 35 strikeouts to his name.
He has recovered an important thing he missed in his last season with the Yankees: the command of his fastball.
He is pumping 100, 101-mph darts out there and hitters have had no chance.
Chapman would be an exciting deadline acquisition for teams, with the added bonus that he is now cheap when it comes to payroll.
Barlow has a 3.52 ERA in 23 frames.
The Royals are hoping to package him with Chapman and get a quality prospect or two.
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