Royals Rumors: Buster Olney says Jason Vargas a hot commodity
By Ben Almquist
As the team continues to fall apart, we are hearing more and more Royals rumors. The latest from Buster Olney says Jason Vargas will be a hot commodity.
Things have not been going well for the Kansas City Royals this year. So it is no surprise that there are plenty of Royals rumors popping up. The latest one involved the team’s hottest pitcher at the moment, Jason Vargas. ESPN’s Buster Olney says he could be a top trade piece.
At first, that may be a surprise to some folks. However, just a brief look at the facts around Jason Vargas show why he would be so desirable. First off, he is the American League’s leader in ERA. He is also the only pitcher in Kansas City that can seem to pull off a win. On top of that, he is very cheap for a starting pitcher. All of that together makes him a huge piece for someone.
Related Story: Royals Rumors: Kelvin Herrera getting interest from Nationals
Yes, it is still very early in the year and it is still “possible” for the Royals to climb out of their hole. However, given how the team is playing, and the fact they face so many expiring contracts, this is a much better opportunity to build for the future. A player like Jason Vargas could bring in a king’s ransom of prospects and/or draft picks.
Jason Vargas will join Eric Hosmer, Kelvin Herrera, Mike Moustakas, and Lorenzo Cain as players other teams are trying hard to acquire. It would behoove Dayton Moore and the Royals front office to listen to these offers and make some moves. There isn’t much left to play for this year, and all of these guys are likely gone sooner than later.
The Kansas City Royals front office still has plenty of clout from their World Series runs in 2014 and 2015. However, that can run out quickly if the team starts losing again. Building a roster for the future is the best way to prevent that, and to keep a good thing going in Kansas City.