Royals Mentioned As Blockbuster Trade Fit For Division Rivals' $65 Million Ace
The Kansas City Royals have an opportunity in front of them.
As usual, the American League Central is up for grabs. The Cleveland Guardians dumped their Platinum Glove second baseman, the Detroit Tigers aren't aggressively pursuing star talent, and it will be years before the Chicago White Sox are a factor again.
Then, there's the Minnesota Twins, who are frustrating the heck out of their fan base these days. A year after winning their first playoff series since 2004, the Twins cut their payroll, collapsed in the second half, and finished in a shocking fourth place.
This winter, the Twins look to be cutting payroll once again, which could present the Royals with the chance to grab yet another star to add to their starting rotation. After trading Brady Singer, the Royals have some uncertainty in the rotation as of now, but they're one ace away from being the best in the American League.
The Twins are rumored to be toying with the idea of trading Pablo López, their 28-year-old workhorse starting pitcher. Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors recently named the Royals as one of the top potential trade fits for López, who has three years and $65 million remaining on his contract.
"Other AL Central teams like the (Royals) would surely throw their hats in the ring, though moving Lopez within the division might be a bridge too far for Minnesota’s front office," Adams said.
López didn't have his best year in 2024, but still pitched 185 1/3 innings with a 4.08 ERA and 214 strikeouts. The previous year, when he made the All-Star team, he racked up 194 innings, had a 3.66 ERA, and finished third in the AL with 234 strikeouts.
Any world where the Royals pull this off starts with being willing to spend more than the Twins are. Both were in similar positions with their television deals, but while the Twins are in the middle of an ownership change, Royals ownership is trying to drum up support for a new downtown stadium.
Could Kansas City squeeze López into their 2025 payroll? If so, they'd be the runaway favorites in the Central for the next three years.
More MLB: Why Royals Should Target $70 Million Former No. 1 Overall Prospect In Free Agency
Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org