Royals Named Blockbuster Trade Fit For Orioles' $8 Million Lefty Slugger

It's no secret what the Kansas City Royals need sometime between now and the trade deadline.

Through 55 games, the Royals are in a virtual tie for a playoff spot at 29-26. But they rank dead last in the sport with 33 home runs as a team, and their .663 combined OPS is fifth-worst in Major League Baseball, worse even than the floundering Baltimore Orioles.

However, the Orioles don't look like they'll be able to catch the Royals in the standings anytime soon. At 19-34, they're the unexpected trainwreck of the MLB season, and unless they can quickly get their act together, it looks as if they'll be forced to do some degree of selling at the trade deadline.

Perhaps that could be to the Royals' benefit. As one baseball analyst explains, there's an impending free-agent slugger on the Orioles roster who has already played in Kansas City once before and might be a fit to return.

In a recent YouTube video, Jim Riley of BALLCAP Sports named Orioles first baseman/outfielder Ryan O'Hearn as a potential Royals trade target ahead of the Jul. 31 deadline.

"The Royals, they need an outfield upgrade. They need some power. He (O'Hearn) used to be a Royal. It wasn't the best of times, so would they run that back?"

O'Hearn is one of a few players around baseball these days who hit their strides after leaving Kansas City. He's been exceptional this season, batting .340 with a .969 OPS through 44 games. That's good for a 181 OPS+.

As for the money involved, O'Hearn has a reasonable $8 million salary, and by the end of July, the Royals would owe barely $3 million. Payroll in Kansas City is always a touchy subject, but if they can't afford a one-year rental bat, they're going nowhere fast.

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