Royals Rumors: Martin Maldonado most recent Royal to be traded

The Royals rumors are still hot and heavy, with Martin Maldonado being the second member of the team to be traded. He’s headed to the Chicago Cubs for the second half of the season.

Kansas City Royals fans knew that the team would be sellers once July hit. Well, we’re well into July now and the Royals have shipped off two players in the last two days.

Homer Bailey was the first to go. He was scratched from his start on Sunday and later it was announced that he’d been traded to Oakland in exchange for 2017 first round pick Kevin Merrell, who fits what the Royals look for in prospects to a tee. That trade was a good one for the Royals.

Martin Maldonado was the next to go. He was pulled from the game against the White Sox on Monday, so speculation began not long after. Was he injured or was the team working out a trade with another team?

Prior to Monday’s game, Maldonado had been slashing .224/.288/.359 with six home runs and 17 RBI. Maldonado wasn’t supposed to be part of the Royals 2019 plans, but after an injury to Salvador Perez cost him the entire season, the Royals needed another catcher ahead of Cam Gallagher on the roster.

With Maldonado’s defensive skills (he won a Gold Glove during his career), he was a nice fit for the team. His defense also made him a nice trade piece when the time came and the time has come now.

The Royals have reportedly received Mike Montgomery in return, one of their former players. They took Montgomery in the first round in the 2008 MLB Draft and now he’ll be returning to the same organization that drafted him 11 years ago.

The Cubs have one of the best catchers in the game in Willson Contreras, but even the best catchers need a reliable backup. Martin Maldonado is that reliable backup as the Cubs try to win their second World Series title in three years.

Maldonado and Bailey are now off to contenders, so whose next as the Royals rumors continue over the next few weeks? Billy Hamilton is on a one-year deal and it also would be smart to try and get something for Danny Duffy, Ian Kennedy, and Whit Merrifield.

Who do you think will be traded next, Royals fans? Will it be Hamilton or a guy on a multi-year deal?