The Kansas City Royals were busy yesterday, adding two major pieces to strengthen their pitching staff.
Kansas City acquired reliever Amir Garrett from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for starter Mike Minor and cash considerations.
In addition to landing the lefty Garrett from Cincinnati, the Royals also brought back a familiar face, signing their former staff ace Zack Greinke on a one-year, $13 million deal with an additional $2 million in performance bonuses.
But the Royals don’t appear to be done, and according to MLB insider Alec Lewis, Kansas City is one of the teams that is in pursuit of Oakland A’s starter Frankie Montas.
A Step Towards Contention?
This would be a good pickup for the Royals, and it would give the fans in Kansas City a reason to get excited about their ballclub again.
The Royals haven’t been in the postseason since winning it all in 2015, but now with the additions of Greinke and Garrett, and the possibility of trading for Montas, they could turn into a darkhorse contender and potentially make a play for a Wild Card spot in the American League.
It would also add a little more substance to the I-70 rivalry with the St. Louis Cardinals, which for many years has been a one-sided affair in favor of St. Louis.
Of course, it’ll take a little bit more for them to gain I-70 supremacy or challenge the Chicago White Sox for the AL Central title.
But adding Montas would make them a little bit more respected as we move closer to the start of the 2022 regular season.
The Royals have been a non-factor in the playoff race for a few years now, but appear to be taking steps towards respectability again.
More must-reads: