Athletics Slugger, Ex-Yankees Star Would Be Intriguing Royals Trade Fit

It's hard to know how aggressive the Kansas City Royals will be at the trade deadline, but it's obvious which side of the ball they need to improve.

The Royals' pitching has kept them above .500 so far this season, but their offense has threatened to derail them. Beyond superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and surprising utility man Maikel Garcia, almost nobody is giving them quality contributions.

The biggest issue for the Royals has been the outfield, but they could also use someone extra at third base. Garcia has floated around both the infield and outfield, while leadoff hitter Jonathan India has spent most of his time at either the hot corner or left field.

There isn't expected to be a particularly deep crop of position players available on the trade market this summer, but one baseball writer has identified an Athletics slugger who should be up for grabs that would be a great fit for the Royals.

On Wednesday, Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller named Athletics third baseman/outfielder Miguel Andujar as his team's "most likely" trade candidate, signaling that contending teams like Kansas City should be able to submit their bids.

"(The A's) don't have a whole lot to put on the trade block, assuming they'll only be looking to unload the impending free agents as they flirt with reaching the end of their rebuild," Miller wrote. "Miguel Andujar could be a good one, though.

"He hit .285 last season while resurfacing for the first time since his big breakout in 2018, and he has bumped that batting average up to .312 in the early going. Andujar can also play first, third, left or right, so he could be a solution for darn near any contender if he continues hitting reasonably well."

Andujar probably doesn't have the power to hit 27 home runs anymore, like he did with the New York Yankees in 2018. But if he can continue hitting for a high average and keep his OPS+ above 100 (115 to this point), he'll be a valuable piece for someone.

Any time there's a lefty on the mound, the Royals need a few more bats like Andujar's in the lineup. They should make sure to check in early and often with the Athletics, who have now fallen to 22-29, about his availability.

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