The Kansas City Royals' most pressing need was starting pitching before outfielder Alex Gordon went down with a groin injury last week. A starter is probably still atop general manager Dayton Moore's list of priorities, but what about a high-profile outfielder to replace Gordon?
Justin Upton, anyone?
No, trade rumors have not linked these two parties together. All we know is that the Royals are now looking for outfield help and there are few across the MLB that would be able to both offensively and defensively replace Gordon.
"The eight-week absence of All-Star Alex Gordon has [the Royals] eying the outfield market for depth, too, though Jarrod Dyson isn't a bad replacement," writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
On top of that, nobody really knows for sure if Gordon's timetable for return is concrete. There have been no specifics regarding his rehab process, which leaves many questioning whether he can return to MLB action in two months or if that's when he can resume baseball activities. After all, his groin injury is serious and Gordon will need it to be 100% healthy if he plans on being the type of player he is.
Last week we addressed the rumors that connected Kansas City to Ben Zobrist (OAK), Ben Revere (PHI) and Gerardo Parra (MIL), but none would effectively replicate the defensive prowess or offensive production of Gordon. But there is one man that can - San Diego Padres' outfielder Justin Upton.
Here's evidence of his defense:
As for his offensive stats, he definitely could be hitting better if he was in a more stimulating lineup. The Padres rank 20th in the MLB with 352 runs scored and are batting only .238 as a club, which is good for 28th. On the other hand, Kansas City ranks 10th in the MLB with 380 runs scored and their .274 batting average is second, only behind the Detroit Tigers.
Upton is slashing .253/.331/.422 with 45 runs scored, 14 home runs, 48 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 87 games this season. He's experiencing a bit of a slump right now and has only two home runs and 10 RBIs over the last month, but before that he was batting .290/.373/.491 with 39 runs scored, 12 home runs, 38 RBIs and 13 stolen bases (through 63 games).
Nonetheless, he's still going to be one of the most sought-after free agents in the offseason and one of the top trade targets if the Padres make him available before the deadline. His WAR of 3.0 ranks 28th in the league and the only Royals player ahead of him in that department is Lorenzo Cain (4.6).
Why shouldn't the Royals take a shot and at least see what the Padres might be looking for?
After all, Kansas City was said to be interested in acquiring Upton this offseason (when he was with the Braves) and also back in 2012 (when he was with the Diamondbacks). Additionally, Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star says prospect Raul Mondesi Jr. is the Royals' "most appealing asset for potential trade discussions, rival evaluators says, even if the Royals have little interest in parting with him."
Yes, it would be very unlike Moore to surrender his top prospect for a two-month rental, as many others would probably not see that as a prudent decision either. But since Padres' general manager A.J. Preller depleted the team's farm system this offseason with countless trades, perhaps San Diego would be interested in other pieces in the Royals' organization (which Baseball America ranks 12th in the MLB and ESPN Insider Jim Bowden ranks 15th).
Kansas City has solid pitching depth in the minors, which is an area Preller needs some help since he traded prospects Zach Eflin, Joe Ross and Matt Wisler this offseason. Ross and Wisler have already made their MLB debuts while Eflin is excelling in the Phillies' farm system.
Think about it: the price for Upton was much higher in the offseason than it is now, so if Moore was considering making a move for the All-Star back then, it's hard to believe he wouldn't ponder it before the deadline.
Upton could take over in left field until Gordon returns and then he could shift over to right field (where he hasn't played since 2013, but it probably wouldn't be a big problem) and Alex Rios can take his .238/.266/.288 stat line with one home run and 13 RBIs elsewhere.
This would be a power move for the Royals, especially if they land another starter before the deadline too. It would allow them to maintain their AL-best record during Gordon's absence and could establish them as favorites to win the World Series.
And who knows, maybe Upton would be interested in staying in Kansas City after the season if the team can find a way to make room for him in their payroll.
