The Kansas City Royals were the surprise story of the first half of the Major League Baseball season. This is the first season of what they hope is a long championship window as they continue to surround star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr with a solid core. The issue is that the Royals only have one top-100 prospect, catcher Blake Mitchell who is not expected to make his MLB debut until 2027. The Royals, currently three games out of the last wild card spot, can improve their playoff chances both this season and down the road by making smart moves at the MLB trade deadline. How can Tyler Anderson, Tommy Pham, and Michael Conforto help the Royals down the stretch?
Royals add help to outfield
An outfielder who can add a stable bat to the middle of their lineup is exactly what the Royals need to solidify their playoff chances. Tommy Pham from the Chicago White Sox brings a solid glove to their corner outfielders and is currently sporting a higher batting average than every outfielder on the Royals at .264. The White Sox will look for any prospect with a long timeline to begin their rebuild and the Royals have plenty of those players.
The return is simple because Pham is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season. He has bounced around the majors over the past few seasons, playing with six different teams since 2021. The Royals should value his playoff experience and retain him beyond 2024, but that doesn't necessarily factor into the return.
Royals receive: OF Tommy Pham
White Sox receive: RHP Chandler Champlain (KC #10)
Taking a bigger outfield swing with Michael Conforto
The Royals and San Francisco Giants sit in the same place relative to the playoffs at the All-Star Break: 3 games back. The difference in the National League is that the Giants have five teams to jump to get into the spot. The Royals have just the Red Sox to clear to get into October. With the Giants losing two draft picks to compensation for their offseason pick-ups of Blake Snell and Matt Chapman, they will look to bolster their prospect pipeline at the MLB trade deadline. With Michael Conforto set to hit unrestricted free agency, he is the perfect player to cash out for prospects.
Conforto fills that outfield need for the Royals and adds a power bat to the middle of their lineup. The downside here is the lack of team control on his deal. The Royals have traditionally not spent big money on players but recently bucked that trend with the Bobby Witt Jr. extension. Conforto would be the perfect fit for a team showing they are taking this window seriously not only in 2024 but beyond. The return is simple due to his impending free agency. With Mitchell as the catcher of the future and Salvador Perez continuing to turn back the clock, they can part with a catching prospect. The Giants do not have a catching prospect in their top 20, so Carter Jensen presents a need.
Royals receive: OF Michael Conforto
Giants receive: C Carter Jensen (KC #9)
Add a starter with control
Moving away from the outfield, the Royals' starting rotation has been solid this season but given the opportunity to improve, they should take it. That opportunity could present itself with the Los Angeles Angels and their lefty starter Tyler Anderson. With Michael Wacha holding a player option this offseason and three other starters headed to arbitration, another starter is key. The Angels will look to offload the starter with one more year of team control to replenish their pool and make way for a few pitchers who are knocking on the door.
The Angels will drive a harder bargain for Anderson due to the team control. Looking at their prospect pool, there are not a lot of position players who can come up and help the team soon. With Mike Trout's prime still here, those players should be the priority in any move they make. Both of the players headed their way in this deal have expected arrivals in 2025.
Royals receive: LHP Tyler Anderson
Angels receive: OF Gavin Cross (KC #6), INF Javier Vaz (KC #14)
The Royals are in prime position to make a run at the playoffs in the second half. They will, however, need reinforcements at the MLB trade deadline to do so.
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