Year Two of the Matt Quatraro tenure. Time to take a step up this year. Active in free agency and trades this offseason. A new look pitching rotation and bullpen. Will the young players take the leap up offensively? Bobby Witt extension? New stadium? Will Vinny recover from injury? Salvy taking aim at the Royals record book? Will Cole Ragans turn into the best Royals starting pitcher since Greinke 1.0?
Free Agents/Trades Acquisitions
Seth Lugo, SP
Michael Wacha, SP
Kyle Wright, SP
Hunter Renfroe, OF/DH
Will Smith, RP
Chris Stratton, RP
Nick Anderson, RP
Adam Frazier, 2B
Garrett Hampson, INF/OF
Matt Sauer, RP [Reply]
Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat:
Was hoping the Royals would find a way to get Lane Thomas but it wasn't meant to be. Guardians give up a top 10 prospect but he's still an A-ball pitcher. 2 more guys as well.
The Cleveland Guardians are finalizing a deal to acquire outfielder Lane Thomas from the Washington Nationals, sources tell ESPN. Left-handed pitching prospect Alex Clemmey and two other prospects are headed back to Washington.
Today the #Guardians reportedly acquired OF Lane Thomas ($5.7M surplus trade value) from the #Nationals in exchange for LHP Alex Clemmey ($10.6M) and IFs Rafael Ramirez Jr. ($3.3M) and José Tena ($1.7M).
The deal is rejected by our model as an overpay by Cleveland.
— Baseball Trade Values (@BaseballValues) July 29, 2024
Isbel is worth 2x as much as Thomas. Also Isbel has been pretty damn good since mid April. From April 19th to yesterday he had a .703 OPS, which is plenty with his defense. [Reply]
Lane Thomas mostly plays RF but has also played LF and CF in the past so Isbel would have been safe. But hey the Royals got MJ Melendez instead. [Reply]
Originally Posted by WhawhaWhat:
Lane Thomas mostly plays RF but has also played LF and CF in the past so Isbel would have been safe. But hey the Royals got MJ Melendez instead.
I'm not worried about not getting Thomas. However I did listen to David Lesky talk about why Seth Lugo won't be traded and it sounds like Lugo's agent told the Royals that if Lugo were to be traded it would cost the Royals more money and years to lure free agents. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
Has Alec Marsh ever demonstrated that he belongs in a big league rotation, though? I mean he wasn't even particularly good in the minor leagues.
His entire career just looks like an organizational arm with some relief innings at his apex.
I'm not sure what KC sees here.
He is your classic traditional fifth starter/long arm in the bullpen. He is what he is. [Reply]
If (probably a big if) MJ, Renfroe, Massey, and Garcia stay out of their funks and remain healthy, are there really any offensive players that were acquired in the last few days by other teams to really take this team to another level? And if so, worth what we would have had to give up to get it?
And the other being had this team been sitting under .500 and in 3rd or 4th place in the division, would anyone want any of our players as pieces to get them over the hump? Obviously starting pitching, but would we not want to hold onto that to try and compete next year? [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
Has Alec Marsh ever demonstrated that he belongs in a big league rotation, though? I mean he wasn't even particularly good in the minor leagues.
His entire career just looks like an organizational arm with some relief innings at his apex.
I'm not sure what KC sees here.
Exactly. He started off hot this year and once the book got around on him, he's been terrible. The single good start in the last two months against the Yankees is the only reason he isn't in AAA right now. Another 4 hits in the first inning against the worst team in baseball shows that he doesn't have much value other than a spot start due to injury or something, or possibly in the bullpen. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DJ's left nut:
Has Alec Marsh ever demonstrated that he belongs in a big league rotation, though? I mean he wasn't even particularly good in the minor leagues.
His entire career just looks like an organizational arm with some relief innings at his apex.
I'm not sure what KC sees here.
He’s always had really good stuff but struggled with consistency and command. I also don’t think the previous pitching development organizational approach was doing him any good.
He’s had some ugly crooked numbers put up against him, but the fastball is still live and mid-to-upper 90s, with a pair of usable breakers.
I would assume the thought with him is to put him in the pen and let him blow it out for an inning at a time. His stuff should play up nicely in that type of setting, I’d think. [Reply]
Big, big return for the Blue Jays from the Astros, per sources: For Yusei Kikuchi, they'll receive RHP Jake Bloss, 1B/OF Joey Loperfido and IF Will Wagner, the son of former Houston great Billy Wagner.