It appears the Kansas City Royals are keeping the band together, and with the July 31 trade deadline approaching, they may be looking to add another member.
One day after manager Ned Yost proclaimed on MLB Network Radio the Royals are "going for this thing" now that they're back in playoff contention after a poor start to the season, sources suggested to Jon Heyman of FanRagSports the Royals are looking for a starting pitcher.
Despite owning the fifth-best ERA (4.30) in the American League and Jason Vargas' career year (12-3, 2.62 ERA), Kansas City's rotation has been middle of the pack in a number of categories this season.
| CATEGORY | NUMBERS | AL RANK |
|---|---|---|
| GS | 84 | 8 |
| IP | 462.2 | 11 |
| SO | 379 | 10 |
| AVG | .261 | 8 |
| WHIP | 1.34 | 9 |
The club's need for starting pitching appears even more apparent when considering that 11 different pitchers have started a game for the Royals this season. Nate Karns is also sidelined with a right extensor strain and there's no clarity on his expected return.
Although Heyman doesn't list any possible targets, he does mention the Royals probably can't afford anyone too pricey and will consider a veteran starter on an expiring contract.
Kansas City's rotation is currently a mix of Vargas, Jason Hammel, Ian Kennedy, and Danny Duffy, while Travis Wood, the recently demoted Luke Farrell, and Jake Junis have made starts as well.
