Kansas City Royals: Buyers or Sellers at Trade Deadline

The Kansas City Royals are sitting a few games above .500 with only a week to go until the All-Star break. The trade deadline is shortly after that, and it’s beginning to become a question if the Royals will be buyers or sellers this year.

Last year, Kansas City Royals fans witnessed something they hadn’t experienced in a long time. The Royals went all in for a World Series title, and they did so by dipping into the farm system and making trades happen.

First, the Royals went out and got Johnny Cueto from the Cincinnati Reds. In order to obtain Cueto, the Royals sent three left-handed pitchers to Cincinnati, all of whom have been apart of the Reds’ rotation at some point this season.

Though Cueto had a less than stellar regular season in Royal blue, he played a huge part in the playoffs. He pitched eight innings of two-run ball in Game 5 of the ALDS and pitched a complete game in Game 2 of the World Series. Both were huge moments and it was most definitely what the Kansas City Royals traded for.

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Second, the team acquired Ben Zobrist from the Oakland Athletics for two pitchers: another lefty and then a righty as well.

Zobrist was a huge help in getting the team to the promise land. There was even hope that the team would keep him in 2016 and beyond, but he signed with his former manager in Chicago and became a member of the Cubs.

What’s going to happen with the Kansas City Royals this year at the trade deadline?

The Royals aren’t in the same position they were in last year. They’re six games back in the division, as of June 29th, and the most important thing is that they already have a World Series title to their name. The pressure isn’t on like it was last year.

The biggest weakness for the Royals this season is their starting rotation. They don’t have a clear cut ace, and only Danny Duffy has been considered reliable in the past few weeks. Okay, maybe Ian Kennedy too.

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The Royals also could use some help in the positions in which injuries have occurred to. Lorenzo Cain just hit the disabled list and Mike Moustakas is out for the season. Alex Gordon literally just returned from a nearly two month stint on the DL and is trying to find his stride.

In other words, things could go either way at the deadline. The Royals could certainly use the help in the rotation, but with a ring already on their fingers from last year and an already depleted farm system, the team might have to just suck it up and stick with who they have this year.

I don’t think the team will necessarily sell anyone, but if they sink below .500 and all hope looks lost, then getting rid of guys like Edinson Volquez or Kendrys Morales to a bidder could be in the cards.

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This would also make sense in the right situation because the Royals could use some new prospects in their minor league teams. They lost five pitchers last year and four of those guys are in the starting rotations for their perspective teams at the moment. That’s hurt the Royals desperately this year.

What do you think, Royals fans? Will the team be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline this year?