The Royals made their move before the trade deadline, sending Lane Thomas to the Braves and getting Lucas Braun and Carter Holton back in return.
J.J. Picollo said the deal fits the moment Kansas City is in right now. “Given our situation,” Picollo said, “we have to figure out ways to acquire players, pitchers, starting pitchers that can help us in the near future.
“Lucas has had some experience in Triple-A this year and that’s where we plan on sending him. I think what really stands out with him is the command and the pitch ability. He seems to be moving in the right direction and clearly a valued guy in their organization.”
Braun is the more detailed name in the return, and Dave Andrews at FanGraphs dug into why the Royals liked him. Atlanta drafted Braun out of Cal State Northridge in the sixth round in 2023, and he has posted strong numbers throughout the minors.
Eric Longenhagen previously ranked him 10th in the system as a 45-FV prospect, projecting him as a future fourth or fifth starter. This year, Brendan Gawlowski had him 22nd in the system as a 40 FV, even below Holton, while still pointing to a long list of traits that work in his favor: athleticism, a deep mix, strike-throwing, minor league success, and that unusual delivery.
“Deception is key here as well,” Brendan wrote, “both modern (a slightly low release) and old school (glove throw, a little hesitation toward the top that can mess with timing). All of those factors are going to be important to maintain because Braun’s stuff is just okay.”
Kansas City’s deadline picture comes with a rough edge. The Royals were swept heading into Thursday’s deadline, and manager Matt Quatraro didn’t hide how aggravating that was.
“It’s exceptionally frustrating,” Quatraro said after his team was swept. “[But] nothing changes regardless of what time of year it is, or who’s playing in the games, any of that kind of stuff.
This series didn’t go the way you want. … But we’ll get back after it on Tuesday.”
The injury list keeps growing, too. Luinder Avila went on the Injured List with right forearm tightness, and the Royals now have 14 players on the shelf.
“I mean, it’s challenging,” Quatraro said. “But, the thing about this game is that there’s going to be a game the next day.
There’s going to be a game when his start date comes around. So we have to do our best to figure out who to plug in there and keep moving forward and try to compete.”
There was one bit of good news: Kyle Isbel is back. After returning from injury, he said, “I was really just happy to be playing again,” Isbel said.
“Honestly, that was the biggest thing. A lot of work leading into that, and I was happy to be back on the field.”
Isbel will use custom insoles in his cleats, but he said he’s ready to go full throttle once he’s called on.
The deadline chatter around Kansas City hasn’t stopped with the Braun-Holton deal. Bob Nightengale reported the Royals drew heavy interest in Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo, but turned away those offers because they believe both pitchers are needed to help them compete next year.
That debate has split some of the outside analysis. Preston Farr at EightOneSix argued the Royals should be buyers to make the most of Bobby Witt Jr.’s window, warning against simply collecting prospects for the future.
Baseball America also spotlighted Kendry Chourio among July’s top pitching prospects, another reminder of how much of this deadline conversation keeps circling back to the same question: what should Kansas City value most right now, present help or long-term upside?
Elsewhere around the league, Luis Garcia Jr. went from the Nationals to the Yankees for four prospects. The Mets traded Freddy Peralta to the Rays.
Atlanta landed Tyler Mahle from the Giants. The Cubs acquired Kevin Gausman from the Blue Jays and sent Jameson Taillon to Toronto.
Astros owner Jim Crane reportedly blocked a trade for Twins outfielder Trevor Larnach, while the Padres turned down a proposed Adrian Morejon-for-Will Warren swap with the Yankees.
The Dodgers, after adding Skubal, may be finished adding. Andrew Friedman also said he does not think the Dodgers are ruining baseball.
And one more question hanging over the deadline: why didn’t anyone top the Dodgers’ offer for Skubal? Houston is interested in Marlins outfielder Kyle Stowers, and the remaining starting pitchers on the market are drawing plenty of attention.
In Other News...
Royals Deadline Plans Could Reveal Who They Still Trust
The Royals are still sorting through what this stretch means for the rest of the season after a fourth straight loss pushed them 21 games below .500 heading into the trade deadline. Matt Quatraro sounded frustrated with the skid, but the bigger issue for Kansas City is how to navigate a roster hit by injuries to Bobby Witt Jr., Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic while also trying to keep the focus on what comes next. Recent trades involving Lane Thomas and Bailey Falter already signaled that the front office is willing to keep adjusting.
With more deadline movement still possible, Kansas Citys next decisions may say as much about who the club still believes in as about who it is ready to move on from. The Royals have been talking about adding younger players to the mix for the stretch run, which makes the coming days especially revealing because the choices are not just about selling, but about the kind of roster they want to build around the injuries and uncertainty they are dealing with now. [Read more 🡒]
Michael Massey Has Royals Fans Debating His Long Term Role
Michael Massey has given the Royals a useful look in 2026, and its enough to keep the conversation around him going. The second baseman has supplied above-average pop for the position, and a .263/.298/.417 line with a 94 wRC+ suggests a player who can help a lineup in stretches even if the profile is not perfectly polished.
The question for Kansas City is whether that version of Massey can keep holding up over the long run. His low walk rate and high chase rate outside the zone leave plenty of room for pitchers to work him, even as he handles breaking balls well enough to stay dangerous. The bigger concern is how often 4-seam fastballs have given him trouble, since that one hole can shape the way teams decide to use him, and how fans ultimately view his place in the lineup. [Read more 🡒]