The Royals’ trade deadline brought some movement, but the bigger story might have been what the rest of the division did around them. Cleveland was especially busy, landing first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, outfielder Jo Adell and a name that will hit home for Kansas City fans: left-hander Foster Griffin.
Griffin was a first-round pick by the Royals in 2014, and after going overseas and returning with the Washington Nationals, he has turned himself into one of the more interesting stories in the game. In 22 starts, he has posted a 3.06 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP and a .224 BAA. That production earned him his first career All-Star selection in his first season back in the majors.
For the Royals, that’s a bitter pill. Watching a former top pick reinvent himself and then settle in immediately at the big-league level is rough enough. The idea of him now doing it in the division - and maybe doing it against Kansas City - makes it sting even more.
There are six games left between the Royals and Guardians on the schedule, and Griffin could face Kansas City twice before the season ends. The year may already feel out of reach for the Royals, but that possibility only adds another layer of frustration.
Cleveland’s deadline work could end up being more than just a short-term boost, too. Griffin came at the cost of four pieces for a rental arm, which is a steep price and one that could leave a mark on the system.
And because he’s a rental, there’s no guarantee he’s back next season. If he keeps pitching like this, he could also push himself beyond the kind of deal the Guardians usually prefer to make.
The other move that stands out is Adell. The 27-year-old hasn’t put together a great season overall, as shown by his 89 wRC+, but the power is still there.
He has 16 home runs and 62 RBIs in 111 games. That comes on the heels of last year’s breakout, when he hit 37 homers, drove in 98 and finished with a .778 OPS and a 112 wRC+.
He is also on pace for his third straight 20-homer season.
With one year of team control left, Adell gives Cleveland another layer in a lineup that already includes José Ramírez and Steven Kwan, along with young names like Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana. The Guardians chose to keep pushing while the White Sox and Twins also made moves at the deadline, and even after losing Skubal, the Tigers still don’t look like an easy out. For Kansas City, that leaves a division that could get crowded fast if the Royals aren’t careful.
In Other News...
Royals Bullpen Problems Just Forced A Move Fans Saw Coming
Kansas Citys bullpen had been shaky enough that a change felt inevitable, and the latest move reflected just how little margin the Royals have left in the late innings. Left-handed reliever Matt Strahm, in the middle of a rough second stint with the club, had been hit hard by home runs and struggled to hold up in high-leverage spots, which made his 7.32 ERA in 41 appearances hard to overlook for a team trying to stay afloat.
The roster shuffle opened the door for Jose Cuas, who was brought up from Triple-A Omaha as the Royals reworked the 40-man picture and bought themselves a short window to decide the next step. For Strahm, the coming week now becomes a waiting game, with Kansas City weighing whether another club sees enough to trade for him or whether he clears waivers and moves on from a frustrating stretch that never found much traction. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Left Fans With One Bigger Deadline Frustration
The Royals did make a handful of moves around the trade deadline, including the departures of Lane Thomas and Kris Bubic, and they added a cluster of arms to bolster pitching depth. Lucas Braun, Carter Holton, Nolan Hoffman, Carlos Duran and Nate Pearson all came in as part of that effort, giving Kansas City more inventory to work with as it tries to patch together a deeper staff for the stretch run.
Still, the bigger frustration for fans was what did not happen. John Schreiber and Starling Marte stayed put even though they were widely viewed as the kind of rental pieces contenders often move, leaving the Royals with fewer obvious deadline wins than expected. The result is a familiar one for a team still trying to climb back into serious contention: some useful additions, a few outgoing pieces, and the sense that the most meaningful roster work may have to wait for the offseason. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Just Made Their Deadline Priorities Impossible To Ignore
The Royals did not exactly disguise their thinking at the deadline. By holding onto Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo despite outside interest, Kansas City made it clear that controllable starting pitching still mattered more than a quick reset, especially with both arms under team control through 2027 and carrying team options for 2028. In a season where the rotation has been one of the clubs more stable pieces, that kind of long view says plenty about how the front office is trying to balance present needs with future value.
Even so, the move that really defined the deadline was aimed elsewhere, because the bullpen has been the more pressing problem. Kansas City has been dealing with injuries and a relief group that has simply not held up well enough, so the focus now shifts to whether the additions the club did make can help steady those late innings. The deadline left the Royals with a clearer sense of what they believe in, but also an even clearer reminder of what still has to be fixed. [Read more 🡒]