Royals Rumors: Realistic Trade Targets For KC Royals

San Diego Padres second baseman Jedd Gyorko (9) – Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Digging a Little Deeper For Second Basemen

This one is tricky, as Chase Utley is currently injured. Utley has also fallen out of favor with the Phillies front office. They would absolutely welcome an opportunity to trade him, and it likely wouldn’t take much more than salary relief.

While he’s probably a shell of his former self, he could still put together professional at-bats.

Utley has had a miserable 2015, and I mention him as a possibility only because of the 2014 acquisitions of Josh Willingham and Raul Ibanez last year by the Royals.  Utley is a well-respected veteran, and has postseason experience.

While he’s probably a shell of his former self, he could still put together professional at-bats. Utley’s contract expires at the end 0f 2015 unless he accumulates 500 at-bats. In which case his contract would vest, and cost someone $15 million in 2016.

After receiving a big time contract extension, Jedd Gyorko has tanked to the point of losing his starting second base job in San Diego.

I told you I’d list five second basemen the Royals could potentially target in trades, and I’m pretty much scraping the bottom of the barrel here. I think the Padres would welcome a trade of Gyorko, but any team going after him has to pin their hopes to the old “change of scenery” hypothesis.

He’s due $32 million through 2019, so unless the Padres are willing to eat a significant portion of that, Gyorko is a tough sell.

Who doesn’t like a happy reunion story?

The Royals have never really been shy about trading within the division, and if the Indians decide to be sellers, Mike Aviles would be a perfect fit for the Royals.

He’s succeeded in Kansas City before, and could at the very least serve as the super-utility man the Royals desperately need.  He’s pretty cheap, and only under contract through this season.

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