Report: Royals Trade Andrew Benintendi to AL Contender

Kansas City will reportedly get three prospects in return, a deal reminiscent of one the Rangers made with the same team last season.

The New York Yankees made reportedly made a high-profile move near the trade deadline, as they have shipped three prospects to the Kansas City Royals for outfielder Andrew Benintendi.

The Yankees and the Royals have not officially announced the deal. The YES Network was the first to report the deal.

Benintendi was one of the high-profile names on the trade market due to his play with the Royals and the fact that he will be a free agent after this season. He’s batting .321/.389/.399 batting line with three home runs this season, which earned him his first All-Star Game berth earlier this month.

The New York Post reported that the Royals received three prospects in return — T.J. Sikkema, Beck Way and Chandler Champlain.

The deal has echoes of the move the Yankees made at last season’s trade deadline, one that involved the Texas Rangers.

The Rangers moved outfielder Joey Gallo to the Yankees for four prospects — infielders Ezequiel Duran and Josh Smith, outfielder Trevor Hauver and pitcher Glenn Otto.

Otto is in the Rangers’ rotation, while Duran and Smith are both starting for the Rangers after being called up earlier this season. Hauver is playing for the Rangers’ High Class-A affiliate in Hickory.

Gallo is having one of his worst pro seasons with the Yankees, as he’s batting .161/.285/.343/.629 with 12 home runs and 24 RBI.

The Rangers, to this point, have been quiet as the trade deadline approaches on Aug. 2. The Rangers seem more inclined to keep their most tradeable asset, pitcher Martín Pérez, who is a free agent at the end of this season.

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You can find Matthew Postins on Twitter @PostinsPostcard

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