Royals News: KC Trades Jonathan Heasley for Exciting Orioles' Pitcher
By Joe Summers
The Royals' busy offseason continued Monday as the club traded Jonathan Heasley to the Baltimore Orioles for rookie-ball prospect Cesar Espinal.
Kansas City needed to clear roster space after a continued splash of free agency spending, and Heasley hadn't deilvered on the promise he showed in the minors at the major league level.
Here's the latest on the trade:
Royals Trade News: Team Acquires Cesar Espinal from Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are acquiring right-hander Jonathan Heasley in a trade with the Kansas City Royals for rookie-ball right-hander Cesar Espinal, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 18, 2023
Heasley was a 2018 13th-round pick for Kansas City and spent parts of three seasons in the majors. A move to the bullpen didn't work out this year, as Heasley accumulated a 7.20 ERA in 12 games.
For his Royals' career, Heasley had a 5-11 record with a 5.45 ERA. He'll now hope to resurrect his career in Baltimore, though Kansas City got a promising young starter in return.
Espinal, just 18, went 2-1 with a 3.18 ERA in nine games at rookie ball this year. With a strikeout rate over 25%, he's got potential as a long-term option for the organization.
This is another quality transaction from the Royals' front office in what's been an offseason full of them. Keep it coming, J.J. Picollo!
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