Royals Rumors: Royals very aggressive in pursuit of Sonny Gray

Royals rumors are hot right now and the latest involves the Kansas City Royals targeting one of the best starting pitchers on the trading block at the moment in Sonny Gray.

Starting pitching is a big need for the KC Royals, as it’s official that Nate Karns will miss the rest of the season. The Royals can’t continue trotting Travis Wood out every fifth day, so they need another guy in that rotation.

While most of us expected to hear a name like Jaime Garcia linked to the Royals, no one expected Sonny Gray to also be connected with the boys in blue in trade rumors. That’s what’s happening though, as Bob Nightengale tweeted out that the Royals are “very aggressive” on adding Gray to their rotation.

Gray is currently posting a 3.72 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 5-4 record in 14 starts this season. He’s not set to be a free agent until 2020, which is what really makes him appealing to MLB teams.

I’ve been a skeptic of going after a big name on the trading block mainly just because I don’t feel like the Royals have the right assets to make a big trade happen, but I’d be okay with them adding Sonny Gray. Gray is one of the best young pitchers in the league right now and if the Royals can get a controllable guy to add with Danny Duffy, Ian Kennedy, and hopefully Karns in the future, sign me up for that.

While adding Gray would be exciting, I’m not going to get my hopes up. Teams like the Astros and Cubs have much more to offer and need Gray a hell of a lot more than the Royals do. Houston is going to go all in this year, much like the Royals did in 2015, and the Cubs have already made moves this trading period.

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Nightengale does pose a big concern in his article, which is linked in his tweet.

"Teams are ignoring Gray’s injury history, 10-15 record and 4.86 ERA the last 1 ½ years, and focusing on what he’s doing lately, yielding a 1.33 ERA the last four starts. When you can throw a 94-mph fastball, 90-mph slider, two curveballs for strikes, and are under club control through the 2019 season, you tend to get a lot of attention."

The first sentence is a bit of a concern, as Gray was not looking as dominant as he once did. He’s turned it around lately, however, and that’s all that teams care about. If Gray is healthy and dealing now, then teams want him on the mound in their uniform.

It’d be cool to see the Kansas City Royals land Sonny Gray from the Oakland Athletics, but it more than likely will not occur. Once again, a lack of prospects and being strapped for cash is going to damper the Royals’ chances at making this one happen.

More Royals rumors will be surfacing though and hopefully more affordable ones for the team will be hitting the news cycles soon.