Royals rivals’ trade interest sparks buying buzz

The Kansas City Royals have caught a rhythm over the past few games, and it looks like there is life surrounding the team. After their latest win against the Pittsburgh Pirates, they’ve won seven of their last 10 games and are sitting in second place in the AL Central.

This has led teams to wonder what they are going to do before the trade deadline approaches in the next few weeks, and some have an idea of whether they will be buyers or sellers, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal.

“The Kansas City Royals, on an 8-4 roll entering their final series before the break, against the Mets, are an example of how two good weeks can put a team back in contention,” Rosenthal wrote. “If the Royals buy, their catching depth might help them get the hitter they need. Rival clubs show consistent interest in the Royals’ young catching prospects, according to sources briefed on Kansas City’s discussions.

“Blake Mitchell, the eighth pick in 2023, is No. 2 among Keith Law’s top 20 Royals prospects. Carter Jensen is No. 4 and Ramon Ramirez is No. 6.”

The Royals do have some intriguing prospects that teams would love to have, but it would be up to them to decide whether they want to part ways with their future.

Royals finding groove before break

The Royals are on a four-game winning streak, as their latest win came against the Pirates, and it was from a big play by rookie Jac Caglianone. At the bottom of the fourth inning, he hit a two-run shot against the Pirates that traveled 466 feet, which set a franchise mark. It was the longest homer by a Royals rookie in the Statcast era.

The Royals’ rookie has played well over the past few games, and it should come to no surprise. He was selected with the No. 6 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, and after having a strong showing in Double-A and Triple-A this year, he was called up to the major leagues in June.

Caglianone has had his struggles in the majors, as he’s currently slashing 153/.206/.288, but now has four home runs, seven RBI, and seven runs scored in 31 games.

He’s been one of the reasons for the Royals’ turnaround over the past few weeks, and they are 6-2 in the month of July so far. They still have some ground to cover, being 13.0 games behind the Detroit Tigers in the division, but they are just a few games back in the Wild Card standings.