​Fans hoping the Kansas City Royals would swing major deals at the MLB trade deadline should brace themselves for a potentially quieter market. According to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Royals are still asking for high prices on veteran pitchers Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo, and they do not expect other teams to meet those asks. People familiar with the Royals’ plan say the team will listen on Lugo and Wacha, but their demands will be steep. It’s possible a team could meet a substantial ask, or that the stance could shift as the month closes, but as things stand now, Wacha and Lugo are likely to remain with the Royals for the rest of the season.
First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino is aiming to return from the injured list on Friday. Manager Matt Quatraro spoke with MLB.com’s Bill Ladson about Pasquantino’s status: the plan is for him to play his final rehab game for Omaha on Thursday night. “He is trying to see pitches and judge his health,” Quatraro said. “He is not making any swing adjustments.” Pasquantino broke his right hand with a hamate bone fracture, and such injuries are notorious for diminishing power even after a return, so fans should temper expectations for his early impact.
Wacha’s latest start came in his final appearance before being named one of the Royals’ representatives at the All-Star Game. After the game, he discussed his outing against the Mets with Ladson: “There were a lot of long at-bats. They fouled off pitches and drew some walks. The pitch count got up there [104 pitches total]. I had a long, stressful inning [in the fifth]. I just have to do a better job right there. I have to limit the damage, limit those big innings, and give our guys a chance to win.” Kansas City dropped the series finale 7-3.
With the MLB draft on the horizon, the Royals’ front office will not be in their home draft room in Kansas City this year. General Manager J.J. Picollo explained the move to Kansas City Star reporter Pete Grathoff: “All the days leading up to the draft, there would be days impacted by the World Cup, so we just decided to move it to Arizona, just for simplicity of not having to worry about logistics, dancing around the World Cup.” If the Royals are disappointed with their draft results, some blame could fall on Lionel Messi, given the scheduling considerations.
Kiley McDaniel of ESPN released his final mock draft, forecasting the Royals to select pitcher Jared Grindlinger with the No. 6 pick. He notes that the decision will come down to Grindlinger, Jackson Flora, and underslot pitching options such as Gio Rojas, Hunter Dietz, and Mason Edwards. The choice among that group will depend on bonus slot prices and potential targets in later rounds. McDaniel’s mock also suggests the Royals’ selection could be influenced by SEO considerations, with a nod to the UC designation in the analysis.