Former All-Star SS traded from White Sox to Royals mid-series

Kansas City is in Chicago for a three-game series with the MLB-worst White Sox (27-82). On Monday, DeJong suited up for the Sox in an 8-5 loss and went 1-for-3.

This year, DeJong has a .228 batting average with 18 home runs. He's been effective when facing the Royals, going 8-for-23 (.349) in nine games against Kansas City in 2023.

While the Royals are set at shortstop with MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr., DeJong could play meaningful innings at third base, where he's played 11 times this season. Per Baseball Reference, Kansas City is 22nd in third basemen wins above replacement (WAR).

Maikel Garcia has been the team's primary third baseman and has .238/.287/.350 batting splits with six home runs in 412 at-bats.

Neither DeJong nor Garcia are exceptional contact hitters, but the former provides more power to a lineup that is below the league average in home runs. Entering Tuesday, the Royals had 111 home runs, tied with the Brewers for 19th and seven fewer than the MLB average (118).

Kansas City (58-49) is seven games behind the Cleveland Guardians for first in the AL Central and holds a one-game lead over the Red Sox for the AL's final wild-card spot. According to Baseball Reference, KC has a 62.8 percent chance to make the postseason, with its most likely path being through a wild-card berth (54.3 percent).

DeJong's addition may not sway the division race on its own. But his upside as a power hitter likely made him attractive to the Royals, and at least he saved his team on airline travel.