Royals Rumors: Royals Should Trade For Jeff Samardzija
By Alec Tilson
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija (29) – Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports
Samardzija would give the Royals a strike-thrower who can chew up innings – something the team doesn’t have right now. He’s a legitimate horse, posting 213.2 innings in 2013 and 219.2 innings in 2014. The Royals have seen him a bit since he was traded to the American League last July, but what type of pitcher is he?
Everything he throws is hard. Fastball, slider, cutter, splitter. No junk. His slider has historically been his most effective pitch. He attacks the strike zone early and doesn’t give free passes.
Samardzija would give the Royals a strike-thrower who can chew up innings – something the team doesn’t have right now.
His 64.6% first-pitch strike percentage this season would lead all Royals starters. (Source: FanGraphs.com) His beautifully-low 1.70 BB/9 would also lead the Royals’ starters by a wide margin, and he’s a lifetime 8.41 K/9 pitcher (despite a 7.50 K/9 this year).
RELATED: ROYALS STILL LINKED TO JOHNNY CUETO
That profile might play extremely well in front of the Royals’ mop-up defense in Kauffman Stadium.
This season, Samardzija has a tough-luck 4-5 record with a 4.33 ERA in 17 starts, but his peripherals suggest that he’s been better than his record. His expected-ERA (xFIP) is 3.75 and his FanGraphs WAR is 2.1 – which would lead all Royals pitchers. He’s also pitching in a hitter’s park and in front of a mediocre defense in Chicago too, for what it’s worth.
Next: Get on it Royals!