Kris Bubic is done for the year. Salvador Perez was removed from Monday’s loss after being hit on the elbow by Spencer Strider’s fastball. The Kansas City Royals have struggled offensively all year and things aren’t looking up at the moment.
They’ve gone just 5-5 since coming back from the All-Star break. It’s time to plan for next year. The Royals finished 86-76 last year. And at 52-55 right now, they’re looking to be much worse this time around. They’d have to go 34-21 in order to repeat that record from a year ago.
Even though they acquired Randal Grichuk and extended Seth Lugo’s contract recently, I’m not sold that those are moves to be more competitive in their last 55 games.
The St. Louis Cardinals (55-53) are reeling since the break as well. They’ve gone just 4-7, and the pitching has been absolutely abysmal. The opposition has scored five or more runs in seven of those games, and the Cardinals are 1-6 in those seven games.
While they’re just 3.5 games back of the final wild-card spot currently owned by the San Diego Padres, the Cardinals aren’t playing well, and it might be wise to find some value for some of their best players.
Someone like Brendan Donovan should be attractive to many ballclubs as a utility player. Donovan can play just about anywhere on the diamond and would have a chance to bolster any lineup while holding things down defensively as well.
It would hurt to see him go after the successful year he’s had but at the same time, it would make sense to try and grab a prospect or two.
Ryan Helsley is the same way. He’s a good pitcher in the back end of a bullpen, but right now it would make sense to get a little value out of him before he’s any older and while St. Louis has countless young pitchers trying to make a name for themself at the MLB level.
Plus, if you keep Phil Maton, he can finish the year closing games. He’s been excellent this season as a setup guy.
I think St. Louis should try really hard to find a new home for Nolan Arenado if they can get someone to pick up his contract. Even if the Cardinals have to pay off part of it. He’s just clogging up an infield that has young players like Thomas Saggese who deserve a chance to play every day and see what they can do.
If the Cardinals trade Donovan, they will be going all in and looking ahead to next year. If they keep him, they could trade these other names and still look to stay competitive down the stretch of this season and try to make up some ground on San Diego.
The Royals can’t score, and the Cardinals can’t keep opponents from scoring. The Cardinals are bad on the road, and the Royals struggle at Kauffman Stadium.
St. Louis could even look at dealing someone like Willson Contreras if they wanted to. He’s hit for power with 14 home runs and drives in baserunners with a team-high 61 runs batted in.
I don’t love the idea, but with so much congestion at first base, designated hitter and catcher right now, it would free up playing time for someone else who needs to play consistently.
Perez was in the lineup Tuesday for the Royals, so he seems to be fine after being plunked Monday night, but I’m still worried for the Royals with a pitcher down and such a poor offense this year. This won’t be a popular thing to say, but maybe Perez should be dealt. A team seeking a power hitting DH might be inclined to reach for the 35-year-old catcher/designated hitter.
The trade deadline ends at 5 p.m. Thursday.
If the Cardinals make no moves between now and then, they’ll be trying to coast with the roster as is and sneak into that third wild-card spot currently held by the Padres.
It’s also worth noting that Chaim Bloom is waiting to take over as president of baseball operations for the Cardinals this offseason and that any move John Mozeliak would make prior to this trade deadline might have to be OK’d by Bloom.
Maybe not. But Mozeliak would likely be hurting his image by dealing players without getting an OK from the next person in command before he steps down.
This could lead to less activity from the Cardinals. But I still wouldn’t be shocked to see Helsley, Arenado or Donovan dealt.
I don’t think they have a shot to make the playoffs with this currently constructed roster and limited pitching to continue to carry the offense. Rich Hill, 45, was designated for assignment on Tuesday and that opens another spot in the rotation.
REVIEW
Let’s review my preseason predictions of these teams.
On March 20, I said the Cardinals would win anywhere from 82 to 90 games and be a first-round exit in the postseason. That’s shaping up to be a real possibility if they make the playoffs.
I predicted the Royals to win anywhere from 82 to 92 games and get eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. I will be wrong on them making the playoffs and likely too high on the win total.