4 Likely Royals Trade Targets Revealed by ESPN Insider

Carlos Estevez, RP

Estevez has been extremely efficient, especially when it comes to limiting base runners. He’s allowed just 17 hits and only 3 walks (!!) in 24 innings. 

After a bit of an uneven start, he’s been DOMINANT lately – allowing no base runners in his last eight appearances (8 IP).

However, it’s worth noting that 24 innings is a relatively small sample size and his stats are a little skewed by his hot streak. 

When you also consider that he has a 1.39 WHIP across 388 ⅓ career innings, trading for Estevez would certainly be more of a gamble than it looks like on the surface.

Jason Adam, RP

Adam’s career started in Kansas City, so it would be fitting to bring him back home. 

He’s bounced around a bit – going to Toronto, Chicago and now St. Petersburg – but he’s turned himself into a borderline elite reliever with the Rays.

Adam has recorded a sub-1.00 WHIP in over 140 innings with Tampa Bay over the past three seasons and he’s kept that up this year. Adam is 4-1 with a 2.18 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP and 30 Ks in 33 innings. 

One flaw he has, however, is that he hasn’t been great in the ninth inning. 

Despite his impressive stats, Adam has saved just 23 of 39 opportunities in his career. That means adding him would help, but would be best paired with another reliever who excels at the end of games.