KC Royals Trade Rumors Swirling Around Lorenzo Cain, Wade Davis
By David Hill
The KC Royals window of opportunity was supposed to end after the 2017 season. With the trade rumors swirling around Wade Davis and Lorenzo Cain, that window may have already closed.
The KC Royals have had a nice run over the past few years. Since 2013, they have climbed back into relevancy, making the World Series twice and not finishing worse than .500 over that time frame. After twenty years of mediocrity, the Royals found themselves back amongst baseball’s royalty.
However, as with all good things, this run was set to end. With a plethora of key players set to enter free agency after the 2017 season, this was to be the Royals last stand. Instead, the Royals window of opportunity may have already closed, as the team is discussing trades for Lorenzo Cain and Wade Davis.
It certainly makes sense for Kansas City to consider parting with Davis. One of the truly elite closers in the game, Davis has posted a 1.18 ERA and a 0.892 WHiP over the past three seasons, saving 47 games. Even with the concerns around his treks to the disabled list with forearm strains, Davis should fetch quite the hefty return. With late inning options such as Kelvin Herrera and even Joakim Soria, Davis could be considered expendable.
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Cain is a more difficult decision. His defense in center is exemplary, and a key part of the Royals philosophy. He is also incredibly close with Salvador Perez, who is the heart and soul of the team. Breaking up that dynamic duo could be felt more in the locker room than on the field.
When healthy, Cain is a dynamic player, capable of close to 30 steals and double digit homers. However, that health is the problem. He has played in 130 or more games only twice in his career, and struggled with injuries again last year. On a purely baseball standpoint, trading Cain makes sense, but it could affect the Royals excellent clubhouse chemistry.
In the end, these are simply moves that the Royals need to make. With a system that is devoid of top end talent that is close to Major League ready, trading both Cain and Davis could quickly restock the system. It may even get Kansas City the young top of the rotation starter that they have coveted since Zack Greinke departed.
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The KC Royals are at a crossroads. However, if the trade rumors surrounding Lorenzo Cain and Wade Davis are accurate, they may have already determined which fork to take.