2 months away from Deadline, Royals ask 'Why not us?'

This story was excerpted from Anne Rogers’ Royals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

KANSAS CITY -- The Trade Deadline is just under eight weeks away. In the baseball world, that’s almost an eternity. But when the weather heats up -- and it is definitely heating up here in Kansas City -- so does Deadline talk.

Who are the buyers? Who are the sellers? And what to make of the chaos that is the American League when it comes to Trade Deadline strategies?

The Royals are right in the middle of that chaos, even at 28-39. They’re eight games back of the Guardians in the American League Central, so that seems like a steep hill to climb. But Kansas City is just 4 1/2 games out of an AL Wild Card spot -- although there are seven teams ahead of them. That’s where the chaos resides: All eight teams within five games of that last Wild Card spot are below .500; even the Blue Jays, who are in the third and final Wild Card spot, are 33-35.

Even though so little has gone right for the Royals this season, their Deadline strategy is nowhere close to set -- and it could change several times between now and the end of July leading up to the actual Trade Deadline on Aug. 3.

“There are so many teams that are still in this,” general manager J.J. Picollo said before Tuesday’s series opener against the Rangers at Kauffman Stadium. “If you look at where we’re at right now, we’re 5 1/2 games out of the Wild Card race. The last thing we’re thinking about is the Trade Deadline.

“Internally, we talk about: 'What do we need to do for this team?' It’s been more about how we help the team rather than take guys off the team. I can’t speak for all the clubs, but it’s going to be a year where -- you’re going to the All-Star break to figure out where your team is at.”

The Royals don’t have to look very far for inspiration about turning a season around. In 2024, the Tigers, who were seven games under .500 and sellers on Trade Deadline day, went 31-13 down the stretch to clinch a postseason appearance. Last year, the Guardians were 15 1/2 games back of the division and ended up as AL Central champions.

To pull something off like that, the Royals must play better baseball. That much is clear. They’re not making the postseason 11 games under .500. And they have looked better in the last week: Their offense has been more functional, although it still needs to click on a consistent basis and really see the stars break out. The rotation is steady, although it needs to get injured starters Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic back pitching like they have before. The bullpen, well, it’s still shaky, but there are pieces there the Royals can build around.

The Royals still have 19 games left to play in June alone, then another 11 before the All-Star break, then another 16 before the actual Trade Deadline. There is a lot that can happen in those 46 games, good and bad. The Royals must see how those games play out before determining a Deadline direction.

“You got to play better baseball,” Picollo said. “You catch a few breaks. We’re going to play some teams we’re chasing right now. But again, it’s day to day. A month from now, we’ll have a better idea. That’s 30 games. A month from now, we’ll have a better idea, but I think it’s just so early to even talk or think about the Trade Deadline right now."

If the Royals do end up as sellers, they have players on expiring contracts they can look to move, like Bubic, outfielders Lane Thomas and Starling Marte and relievers John Schreiber and Matt Strahm. They would have to consider their veteran players, too, like starters Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo, to net a bigger return. The Royals won’t be rebuilding -- not with the core that they have -- but they can retool, so any acquisition will need to fit their vision for not just this year, but the next few years.

Because of the muddiness of the standings, there is a thought that a team could get a jump on the market and try to upgrade now rather than wait. But that gets hard, too, with how many teams are still in wait-and-see mode. Calls with other teams have been made to check in, but there’s no movement on either side.

“I just don’t know if the other teams are going to be willing to talk about those things,” Picollo said. “The only teams right now that might be more willing than others are teams that are clearly out of it, and there’s so few of them. The rest of them are thinking a lot like we are. 'Why not us? Why not make a run for six weeks and see where you are come the end of July?'”