The Kansas City Royals’ best move to add offense is likely to trade a starting pitcher, and all winter, it has seemed as though Kris Bubic is the pitcher the Royals are most comfortable moving.
Bubic was a breakout All-Star this season, and had he stayed healthy through the end of the year, his trade value might be sky-high right now. But the rotator cuff strain that ended this season, combined with the fact that he’s a free agent in a year, seem to be depressing his value.
The Boston Red Sox have been refusing the Royals’ attempts to trade for outfielder Jarren Duran unless Kansas City was willing to include ace Cole Ragans in the deal. So if Bubic isn’t worth Duran on the trade market, what else might he be able to fetch the Royals?
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Royals a fit for Jazz Chisholm Jr.?
Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer believes another American League East speedster could be on the table.
On Wednesday, Rymer suggested a hypothetical trade that would send Bubic and catching prospect Blake Mitchell to the New York Yankees for second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., another impending free agent who just made his second All-Star team and first in the American League.
“The idea of (Chisholm) and Bobby Witt Jr. sharing the same infield and the same lineup is just plain fun,” Rymer wrote. “They would both enter next season with 30-30 potential, giving the Royals a shot at becoming only the fourth team to ever field multiple 30-30 guys in a season.
“The Yankees would be getting back a 2025 All-Star in Bubic, who had a 2.55 ERA over 116.1 innings before a rotator cuff strain ended his season. Though he’s also a pending free agent after 2026, the Yankees can look at all the red on his Statcast profile and be reasonably confident he has another star-caliber year in him.”
Mitchell, the Royals’ 2023 first-round pick, looks more expendable than ever with the emergence of Carter Jensen, Kansas City’s other top catching prospect who shined in his late-season call-up. That means the Royals would essentially have to decide if one year of Chisholm was worth one year of Bubic to them on the trade market.
Royals fans also had a fairly public falling-out with Chisholm during the 2024 playoffs, so that relationship would start on a strange note.
It’s an unorthodox idea, because Kansas City wouldn’t likely stand a great chance at retaining Chisholm in free agency. But if this team really wants to compete for the playoffs, adding a four-WAR bat like Chisholm’s could be their best play.
More MLB: Phillies All-Star Free-Agent Addition Was Reportedly Royals Target, Too
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