Three teams that failed at the MLB Trade Deadline
By David Hill
Kansas City Royals
At least the Kansas City Royals did something.
They unloaded a pair of impending free agents, with Danny Duffy heading to the Dodgers for the ever popular Player to be Named Later and Jorge Soler going to the Braves for minor league reliever Kasey Kalich. As the Royals desperately need bullpen help, Kalich can be a useful piece for the future.
But the Royals missed a chance to truly set themselves up well. Whit Merrifield is still on the roster, despite the fact that he is 32 years old and will be past his prime once this team is competitive. Considering the incredible amount of interest in his services, this is a missed opportunity.
The same could be said about other veterans. Mike Minor, Michael Taylor, and Carlos Santana may not have had the same type of return, but they would have been able to bring something back. Instead, the Royals refused to trade anyone with team control, turning the MLB Trade Deadline into a disappointment.
The Kansas City Royals had a golden opportunity to improve their future. This will be a trade deadline that will be remembered with regret.