3 Royals Who Won't Survive the Trade Deadline

One month ago, the Kansas City Royals looked as though they would have a relatively easy path to the playoffs, with Baseball Reference giving them an 81.9% chance of making the postseason.

That number has fallen to essentially a coin flip at 55.4% as the Royals have gone 12-17 since June 9. 

But hope isn’t lost! Kansas City is in position to add talent at the MLB Trade Deadline, and if it does, some players will be in danger of losing their roles.

Royals Have Obvious Holes to Address

If Kansas City pulls off a trade this season, it’s unlikely to feature MLB talent.

The Royals’ top players – Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Sal Perez and most of the starting rotation – aren’t going anywhere. Trading them would be counter-intuitive to contending.

So instead of focusing on which minor leaguers could get dealt, let’s instead highlight players who could see their roles significantly reduced.

1. Adam Frazier

The Royals have a lineup of haves and have-nots and Fraziers fits firmly into the latter part of that equation. 

He’s been relied upon more lately as Maikel Garcia has slumped and Nelson Velasquez has been demoted. That can’t continue for a contending team, especially at the leadoff spot. 

All of his three main batting categories – average, on-base and slugging – are below .300, including a dismal .206 batting average and he has just two home runs in 155 at-bats. 

He’s also a below-average fielder and runner at 32-years-old, and will surely be one of the first playing-time casualties if Kansas City adds a bat.