IAN KENNEDY
This one could more be chalked up in the “wishful thinking” category, but Ian Kennedy needs to be included on here. The Royals brought Kennedy in on a big contract after they won the World Series and let’s just say the payoff hasn’t been worth it.
Kennedy had a decent first season in Kansas City, throwing 195.2 innings for an ERA of 3.68 and 11-11 record. It’s been mostly downhill since then, as Kennedy had a 5.38 ERA in 2017 and 4.66 ERA last season.
One of the biggest reasons the Royals brought Kennedy in was to have a starting pitcher who could eat innings. After throwing nearly 200 innings in 2016, Kennedy has yet to come even close to that point. He threw just 119.2 innings last year after struggling to stay healthy.
A team being interested in trading for Kennedy is unlikely, but the Royals could try and throw him in as an extra piece if they dealt any of their other places. He’s still set to make a lot of money and isn’t a free agent until 2021.