Kansas City Royals send Michael A. Taylor to Minnesota Twins

Michael A. Taylor had been a fairly hot name in trade rumors due to the weak market for center fielders. On Monday, the Kansas City Royals finally traded him away.

According to Jeff Passan, Taylor was traded to the Minnesota Twins. Mark Feinsand from MLB.com reported that the Royals will receive pitchers Evan Sisk and Steven Cruz in return.

Michael A. Taylor trade necessary for Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins

Taylor had been a solid outfielder in Kansas City, but his time had seemingly come to an end. The Royals wanted to see what they have in Drew Waters in center, and with the mediocre market at the position in both free agency and on the trade block, it made sense for the Royals to see what they could get.

Although Taylor is not known as an offensive threat, he posted a respectable .249/.304/.357 batting line in his 984 plate appearances, hitting 21 homers and 26 doubles while stealing 18 bases. However, he is best known for his glove work, saving 38 runs in center while winning the 2021 Gold Glove. He slots as the Twins’ fourth outfielder, providing plenty of insurance in the event of another Byron Buxton injury.

The Twins seemingly did not give up much on the prospect side for his services. Cruz had been rated as their 28th best prospect by MLB.com at the time of their trade, a hard throwing righty with a plus-plus fastball that sits between 95 and 101 MPH and a hard slider that misses plenty of bats. However, he has struggled with his command, something that has held him back throughout his career. That was the case last season as he posted a 5.14 ERA and a 1.589 WHiP over his 56 innings, striking out 72 batters with 35 walks and eight wild pitches.

Sisk is a lefty reliever who has also battled his command at times. Armed with a fastball and changeup, he posted a 1.57 ERA and a 1.016 WHiP in his 63 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, striking out 76 batters with 29 walks. If he can continue to improve his command, it would not be a surprise to see Sisk in the majors at some point in the coming year.

This is the sort of trade the Royals needed to make. While Cruz and Sisk are strictly relievers, the bullpen is also a weakness in Kansas City. One year of Taylor was not likely to generate much more in regards to a return. If the Royals are able to land a pair of future pieces for their bullpen, then the deal was well worth it.

The Kansas City Royals traded Michael A. Taylor to the Minnesota Twins for a pair of relief prospects. It was a deal that needed to be made.