KC Royals: Five trades that need to happen this winter
By Cody Rickman
The 34-year-old Ian Kennedy has been remarkably good since taking over the closer role for the Royals this year, converting 26 of 30 save opportunities with a 3.58 ERA, 2.95 FIP, 10.41 K/9, and 1.32 WHIP.
The Royals were unwilling to eat a large portion of Kennedy’s remaining 2020 Contract ($16.5 million) in order to trade him at the 2019 trade deadline. If the Royals are willing to pick up 50% of Kennedy’s remaining contract for 2020 they may find a trading partner with the Texas Rangers who put together a competitive 2019 without a stable back end reliever.
Multi-purpose infielder Andy Ibanez would be the perfect return for Kennedy. The 26-year-old Ibanez who is currently absent from the Rangers 40-man roster and eligible for the Rule 5 draft can play everywhere and provide some power off the bench.
Ibanez has put together a fine season for AAA Nashville Sounds hitting .300/.375/.497 with 30 2Bs, 1 3B, 20 HRs, 53 BBs (1 IBB) vs 91 Ks. Ibanez offers an upgrade over Cheslor Cuthbert currently on the Royals Roster who may be released this offseason. The Atlanta Braves also showed some trade deadline interest in Ian Kennedy, but that interest may have waned this offseason.
I might be in the minority in thinking it is okay to bring Ian Kennedy back for 2020. He has been the most stable option out of the pen in 2019. His velocity and pitch mix allow him to restart his career as an effective high leverage reliever.
His value around the 2020 trade deadline could be significantly higher for the Royals who won’t have to eat so much of his contract. I also think there is a chance the Royals could move to re-sign Ian Kennedy for 2020 (two years at $6 million per) as a reliever moving forward on more competitive teams 2021 and beyond.