Kansas City Royals sent a clear message with trade for Andrew Benintendi
The Kansas City Royals added Andrew Benintendi through a three-way trade and this shows that KC is in it to win it.
All offseason long, the Kansas City Royals were reportedly searching for a left-handed bat and it was looking more and more unlikely that they weren’t going to accomplish that feat. Well, never count out Dayton Moore, who not only found a left-handed bat but one that’s under club control through the end of 2022.
Andrew Benintendi — the former No. 7 pick in the 2015 MLB Draft — is coming to Kansas City and the hope is that a change of scenery will serve him well. Benintendi spent the past five years with the Red Sox and the hope was that he was going to be one of their best outfielders. After starting off his career hot (he placed second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2017), the past year has not been kind to him.
Benintendi, through five seasons, has slashed an average of .273/.353/.435. Last year was rough for him, as he hit just .103 in 52 plate appearances, but the hope is that a smaller organization without as much public attention will turn his career around.
Outfield prospect Khalil Lee is expected to go to the New York Mets in the three-way deal with Boston and KC that would send Andrew Benintendi to the Royals. Outfielder Franchy Cordero would go to the Red Sox once the deal is finalized, sources tell ESPN. Others are involved.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 11, 2021
In the trade, the Royals sent Khalil Lee to the Mets and Franchy Cordero to the Red Sox with two players to be named later heading to Boston as well. What this signifies is that the Royals see 2021 and 2022 as contending years and not just “slowly turning the corner” years.
The Kansas City Royals are in it to win it with this trade for Andrew Benintendi.
Some might see the Royals trading for a guy who hit .103 last year and wonder why the team gave up so much. There’s a lot of upside with Benintendi in that he’s had really dominant seasons in the past, both offensively and defensively. He was a Gold Glove finalist in 2018 and 2019 and once hit .295 (though that was back in 2016).
Giving up Lee is the tough part here because the Royals had high hopes for him, but when teams want to officially throw their hat into the ring and start contending, parting with prospects is something that has to happen. Lee hadn’t been hitting well in the minor leagues, so even if he does become a terrific player, it might take a few years before the Mets see that.
Cordero probably wasn’t going to amount to much in Kansas City if we’re being entirely honest. He was injury-prone, which is why the Padres were fine with parting with him in exchange for Tim Hill, and he didn’t do enough to wow anyone in his limited time with the Royals. That part of the trade isn’t something that fans really care all that much about.
If Andrew Benintendi can get back to his old ways offensively, this could be a really smart trade for Kansas City and could help them get back to the postseason and make a deep run. It’s worth noting that Benintendi has crushed the ball whenever he’s played at Kauffman Stadium, slashing .485/.564/.848 in 39 plate appearances, so take that for what it’s worth.
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How do you feel about this trade, Royals fans?