LAS VEGAS — At a time when club executives are doubting whether some top-of-the-rotation pitchers get moved, Kansas City Royals lefty starter Kris Bubic, an All-Star last season, is garnering trade interest from multiple teams, league sources said.
In need of offense and boasting some pitching depth, the Royals are open to the possibility of dealing Bubic, people familiar with the club’s thinking said.
Bubic, 28, is a year away from free agency, with MLB Trade Rumors projecting him to make $6 million next season in his final year of arbitration. He is coming off a strong season. In 20 starts (116 1/3 innings), he had a 2.55 ERA (2.89 FIP) with 116 strikeouts and 39 walks. Bubic has never thrown especially hard, but some rival evaluators are bullish on his outlook; he overhauled his repertoire over the past two years, adding a sweeper while improving his fastball and changeup.
To be clear, there is a path in which the Royals hold on to Bubic. Their rotation is a strength, and Bubic is among the reasons. Trading him, however, presents a logical way to net the kind of return that improves their lineup, particularly, perhaps in the outfield, an area where Kansas City wants to upgrade. More specifically, the Royals eye a left fielder so Jac Caglianone can play right field.
The Royals might move someone other than Bubic — or multiple pitchers, which may or may not end up including Bubic. But league sources suggest it’s unlikely the Royals would trade Cole Ragans, their ace, especially after a down season and with him under club control for multiple seasons. It’s equally unlikely they’d trade veterans Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo after both starters made commitments to Kansas City.
Bubic is an intriguing name in the starting pitcher trade market. He does not hold the appeal of a burgeoning megastar like Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, nor the cache of the Milwaukee Brewers’ Freddy Peralta or the Minnesota Twins’ Joe Ryan. But such players might not get moved, as The Athletic recently relayed.
For those not willing to pay the prices in free agency for headliners such as Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez and Dylan Cease, among others, trade partners are looking slim. Rival executives pointed to clubs such as the Cincinnati Reds, Miami Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates as teams that might swap pitching for hitting. At least at the moment, the market is not exactly brimming with obvious alternatives.