Kansas City Royals: Bringing back Brandon Finnegan could make sense
Former Kansas City Royals first round pick Brandon Finnegan was designated for assignment by the Cincinnati Reds on Friday. The Royals should strongly consider kicking the tires on Finnegan.
In the 2014 MLB Draft, the Kansas City Royals selected Brandon Finnegan in the first round. Finnegan had pitched for TCU in the College World Series that year and got to see some meaningful playing time at the end of the regular season.
Where Finnegan made a name for himself, however, was during the 2014 postseason. He pitched admirably in the Wild Card game and also was the first player to ever pitch in the College World Series and regular World Series in the same season. Quite an accomplishment for the TCU pitcher.
Finnegan finished his 2014 regular season with a 1.29 ERA and had a 2.96 ERA in 2015 before being traded at the deadline for Johnny Cueto. Fans were upset with Finnegan being part of that deal, but he was one of their best prospects at the time, so it wasn’t hard to understand why Cincinnati would want him.
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The Royals never knew how to utilize Finnegan and that was likely why trading him didn’t seem to be a big deal. He was used mostly as a reliever in his year and a half as a Royal, but the Reds had him in his preferred role of being a starter.
The starting thing didn’t work out for Finnegan too well though, as he never did well during his time in the Reds organization. He had a 7.40 ERA last year, but only pitched in 20.2 innings before injuries took their toll on the former Horned Frog.
The best sample size of Brandon Finnegan as a starter came in 2016 when he threw in 172 innings and posted a 3.98 ERA in 31 starts. He even had one complete game that season!
Now, however, Finnegan’s time with the Reds has potentially come to an end, as he was designated for assignment.
The chances of the Royals bringing Finnegan back probably aren’t likely, but it’s a move they should absolutely consider. With Danny Duffy constantly on the shelf due to injuries and Ian Kennedy now in the bullpen, the Kansas City Royals could use another starter for their rotation.
Finnegan turns 26 in a few weeks, so he’s still young and isn’t a free agent until 2023. Fans weren’t happy when he was traded to the Reds, but the Royals have a chance to bring back an old friend and right the ship.
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Would you want the Royals to bring back Brandon Finnegan?