The Royals bolstered their bullpen with the acquisition of a right-handed pitcher. Hunter HarveyThe Nationals announced that Harvey was being traded to KC in exchange for a third baseman. Cayden Wallace The Royals acquired the Royals Competitive Balance Round A (39th overall) pick in the 2024 draft. The Royals are considering this move and the acquisition of right-handed pitcher Nick Anderson An allocation was designated to ensure roster space for Harvey.
Today’s 5-0 loss to the Red Sox puts the Royals at 52-44, a game behind Boston for the third and final American League Wild Card spot. A .542 winning percentage is already great progress for a team that lost 106 games in 2023, but Kansas City is clearly looking to bounce back from their recent struggles. The Royals started the season on a scorching pace, going 39-26, but have since slumped to 13-18 in their last 31 games, with relief pitching being a big part of that slump.
KC’s bullpen ranks in the bottom third of baseball in most major categories, including 22nd in bullpen ERA (4.30). James MacArthur He converted 17 of 21 save opportunities, but has been somewhat inconsistent, and the Royals’ relievers are lacking in both velocity and strikeout ability, according to recent reports. was suggested Kansas City viewed relief pitching as a top priority heading into the trade deadline, ahead of the Royals’ equally desperately needed outfield reinforcement.
Harvey’s 97.8 mph fastball provides an immediate boost to the Royals’ relief corps, and he’s pitched 45 innings in Washington’s relief corps this season with above-average strikeout and walk rates. His ERA is 4.20, but his SIERA is 2.99 and his BABIP is .325, so Harvey’s final numbers don’t fully reflect the quality of his pitching.
Selected 22nd overall by the Orioles in the 2013 draft, Harvey was heralded as a top-100 prospect, but various injuries threatened to put a halt to his career before it could get off the ground. He appeared in 26 games with Baltimore from 2019-21, posting a 3.42 ERA in 23 2/3 innings, but the Giants acquired him on waivers in November 2021, and Harvey was then dealt to Washington on waivers again just before the start of the 2022 season.
During his time with the Nationals, Harvey has been able to establish himself as a solid MLB-caliber pitcher despite flying under the radar during the team’s rebuild. Harvey has posted a 3.17 ERA with a 27.8% strikeout rate and a 6.4% walk rate in 145 innings in DC, and while he’s primarily functioning as a setup man, he has recorded 10 saves in 2023. Hard contact is a big red flag in Harvey’s arsenal, but he’s done a pretty good job of not letting it lead to home runs. The move to the spacious Kauffman Stadium may be even more advantageous in this regard for the 29-year-old Harvey.
Harvey is making $2.35 million in his second-to-last year of arbitration eligibility this season, and the Royals control him through the end of the 2025 season. That extra control period makes Harvey a particularly noteworthy player heading into the July 30 deadline, with both Harvey and the Nationals locked in a close battle. Kyle Finnegan (also locked in through 2025) ranked in the top 15 of MLBTR’s recent list. Top 50 Trade CandidatesTeams generally have to pay a bit more to get a deal done before the deadline, so that factor, combined with Harvey’s extra year on his deal and perhaps the Royals’ eagerness to quickly improve their bullpen struggles, gave Washington a pretty good return.
The rebuilding Nationals were in reach of competing for the National League Wild Card, but today’s trade certainly keeps the Nationals on their expected path as sellers heading into the deadline. That doesn’t mean Washington won’t look for players that can help them be competitive as early as 2025, and Wallace, currently in his second year at Double-A, could fit into that category.
Wallace, the Royals’ second-round pick in the 2022 draft, is batting .282/.350/.427 in 140 at-bats with Double-A Northwest Arkansas this season, but his development has been hampered by both a strained oblique and an ongoing stint on the disabled list due to a fractured rib. Despite these injuries slowing his development, MLB Pipeline still rates Wallace as the second-best prospect in Kansas City’s farm system, and Baseball America ranks him fifth in its preseason rankings of Royals minor leaguers. In both scouting reports, Wallace is rated as a good defender who can play third base with a strong throwing arm, good approach at the plate and a consistent swing. With more power potential than obvious power at this time, Pipeline and BA view Wallace as a gap hitter with the potential to move up as he develops.
Trading a potential “third baseman of the future” like Wallace is a show of faith for the Royals. Michael Garcia At least in the short term, Kansas City may look for help at the hot corner in tomorrow’s draft, possibly in the near future. Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.comWith the addition of Wallace, the Nationals have more depth at third base for the future. Brady House (Pipeline ranks him as the 44th best prospect in baseball.) Yohandi Morales In the minor league ranks, this could be a potential surplus position for the Nationals in the coming years if they get back into championship contention and start moving some of the top prospects on the team for veterans who can win now.
of Competitive Balance Round Selection Draft picks are the only draft picks that can be traded, making them one of the most valuable trade chips in baseball. While any team can trade a CBR pick, only small-market or low-revenue teams are eligible for the bonus pick in the first place, making trades involving picks relatively rare given that adding talent through the draft is especially valuable for baseball’s lower-budget players. Still, today’s trade marks the third time a 2024 CBR pick has been traded. The Brewers acquired the 34th overall pick from the Orioles as part of a trade for a 2024 CBR pick. Corbin Burns TradeMeanwhile, the White Sox received the 68th overall pick in Round B of the CBR. transaction sent Gregory Santos To the Mariners.
The Royals will select sixth overall in tomorrow’s draft and won’t pick again until their second round pick (41st overall). The Nationals currently have three picks in the first 44 picks, with their newly acquired CBR pick sandwiched between the first and second round slots.
Anderson was traded to the Royals from the Braves in November, with Kansas City hoping to see if the former Rays relief ace could regain his form after three injury-plagued seasons. In 34 2/3 innings with the Royals this season, Anderson had a 4.15 ERA with a 10.1% walk rate and 18.1% strikeout rate, but the secondary metrics were unimpressive.
Anderson is making $1.575 million this season and is eligible for arbitration through 2025, making him attractive to teams looking to add to their bullpen via a waiver claim. Because Anderson was on the Royals’ active roster all season, he has exceeded the five-year MLB threshold and would receive his full 2024 salary if he clears waivers and becomes a free agent.
