Kansas City Royals should be selling, not buying, at the deadline

The Kansas City Royals have sat in the middle of the pack all year in the American League without making much progress. Since the AL has had much parity this year, they’ve maintained a shot at a playoff spot. But in reality, they should know they can’t compete with the rest of the league for a pennant.

With the way the American League played out in the first half of the season, it’s understandable that several teams are still in trade deadline limbo. Even the most unlikely contenders have a chance to earn a playoff berth come October.

But some teams must realize that they would be better off selling at the deadline, rather than buying. The AL is chock full of these teams, but the most notable one is the Kansas City Royals, considering the front office announced that it is searching for “rentals” for its pitching staff.

The 2015 World Series champions sit just three games behind the Cleveland Indians in their division and just 1.5 games out of the second Wild Card spot. They boast a rotation headlined by budding star Danny Duffy and the old workhorse-turned-staff-ace Jason Vargas.

Anyone can make an argument for why Kansas City should continue to go for the gold, bolster its roster and try to thwart the powerhouse Astros and other contenders in the AL. The San Francisco Giants weren’t the best overall team in the years they won the World Series since 2010, so why not the Royals?

There are several reasons why.

For starters, Kansas City’s offense is not what you would call intimidating. Third baseman Mike Moustakas and catcher Salvador Perez are crushing the ball and veterans Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain are having solid seasons. The Royals still rank 27th in runs scored.

Several positions could use upgrades as well. The outfield depth is shallow other than center field, and the middle infield spots have been shoddy at the dish so far. Whit Merrifield probably isn’t the answer, despite playing well before the All-Star break.

Considering that Moustakas, Hosmer and Cain will be free agents at the end of the year, general manager Dayton Moore could – and should – consider moving them in return for some mid-tier prospects. The returns would outweigh the costs, especially for a team that has an uninspiring farm system.

The Royals have posted a decent ERA as a team, ranking 14th in the category. But just two starters currently sport an ERA below four, and the squad doesn’t have the tools to barter for a top-tier guy like Johnny Cueto.

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Jason Hammel, Nate Karns – before he was injured – and Ian Kennedy haven’t been the worst pitchers in the league. It just seems like you can’t rely on two veterans that are past their prime and an injury-riddled pitcher to carry the team deep into the playoffs.

The Royals have to compare themselves to the other major contenders in the AL. The Astros, Indians and Red Sox all look better on paper. And they all haven’t reached their full potential, as they will likely make moves before the trade deadline concludes, because they have the prospects to do so.

Kansas City will deplete its already-shallow roster even more if it deals for some rental players. And it would pass up a fruitful opportunity it may not have in the near future.

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There are plenty of buyers in both leagues that would surely overpay for a solid first baseman or third baseman, or even Vargas. Fans saw what teams were willing to give last season, even for a mid-tier reliever or position player. They’ll be willing to do the same this year.

Cash in on the rewards, rebuild and save the fans from a frustrating second half of the season.

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