Can the Kansas City Royals even consider extending Jorge Soler?

If the report about the Kansas City Royals’ inability to buy out the remainder of Ian Kennedy’s contract to facilitate a trade is true, how does the organization consider extending Jorge Soler?

A report emerged on August 13th indicating the Kansas City Royals had entered into an agreement with the Atlanta Braves about a trade that would send Ian Kennedy to Atlanta in exchange for a minor league pitcher, reportedly left-handed starter Joey Wentz.

The report indicates the deal was nixed due to ownership not willing to buy down or eat a portion of the remaining balance of Kennedy’s contract.

We obviously don’t know for sure how legitimate the report is and perhaps will never know.

Multiple reports had emerged prior to the trade deadline the Royals were unwilling to buy out contracts in order to facilitate a trade, so this backs up and goes with what we’ve heard. If this is indeed the case, and the Royals simply as an organization are either unable or unwilling to ‘eat money’ to facilitate trades, the organization cannot, under any circumstance, consider extending Jorge Soler.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic discusses the Royals not paying out a contract,

"Rival clubs are expressing interest in Royals left-hander Danny Duffy and closer Ian Kennedy, but only if Kansas City pays down their respective contracts. Royals are not inclined to make that type of deal, according to major-league sources."

If that report is indeed true, that the Kansas City Royals are unable to pay out a salary, the debate surrounding the possible extension of slugging outfielder Jorge Soler is over. Under no circumstance can the Royals consider an extension.

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Jorge Soler is in the middle of his prime years at 27 years old, and will turn 28 after this season, under club control currently through the 2021 season, meaning he’ll hit free agency at age 30. He’s certainly not the youngest, but not exactly old either.

However, if the team does a contract for him, they have to do so knowing they are unlikely to trade him. If that’s the case, as a small market team, under no circumstances can a small market team do a contract taking players into their breakdown 30’s.

For years, the Yankees could take on money and aging players, until a few years ago, the strategy aged poorly, and the Bronx Bombers were left with aging players on a steep decline, and they struggled mightily.

Once that money was flushed, the Yankees were in a position to be smarter, and are now a really strong baseball team and certainly appear likely to be so for years to come.

The Royals have an opportunity to not enter those contracts because of their market size. The misguided notion of players retiring with your organization is an idea that is absurdly stupid on it’s face and for the Royals, can’t be a notion that begins to enter any discussion.

When you are a small market team, allow the market size to eliminate the notion of taking on bad contracts and having aging players on your roster.

This is relevant with Jorge Soler.

While he certainly isn’t the disaster in the outfield he had been years previous, he’s obviously not great, especially in the expansive grounds of Kauffman Stadium. He’s doing better at both not swinging at bad pitches or getting injured, but those are issues relevant to the Jorge Soler story and may come up again, especially the injury bug.

Also, the extension will pay him big money when he’s out of his prime and in declining years, raising the concerns of the strikeouts, injuries, and just lower production. No matter the business or enterprise, paying more for less is a a bad idea.

So if the Kansas City Royals can’t ‘eat money’ to facilitate trades (and by all indications, it certainly appears to be the case) they can’t extend Soler. Can’t do it, can’t entertain the idea.

The organization can’t run the risk of being stuck with a big money contract for a player they may need to move down the road. Take the prospects you will get, extend your competitive window, and go forward.