OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - KC Royals - An OOTP 25 Narrated Playthrough

Biggp07 · 09-04-2025, 07:03 PM

Kansas City and Tampa Bay have reached a preliminary agreement on a trade. The Royals will send 35-year-old LHP Will Smith, 23-year-old minor league RF Gavin Cross, and 25-year-old minor league 3B Shervyen Newton to the Rays for 30-year-old RHP Zach Eflin and 28-year-old SS Amed Rosario. The deal is expected to close soon, and both teams will introduce their new players to the press once the paperwork is done.

Eflin has pitched 135.2 innings over 20 starts this season, striking out 125 batters, walking 29, and posting a 4.25 ERA with 4 wins and 8 losses.

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When I heard that SP Zac Eflin of the Tampa Bay Rays was on the trading block, I decided to take a chance and see what drew him. It was encouraging when I could once again shed upcoming free agent Will Smith’s remaining contract and the expected $6.5 million in demand for a season next year, along with a disgruntled AA player, 3B Shervyen Newton. Their GM Erik Neander probably would have accepted without including Newton, but I had to sweeten the deal by giving up RF Gavin Cross, so I got SS Amed Rosario included in the deal. We will have to accept Eflin’s $18.0 million contract next year, but I’m hopeful that by then it will be a deal that pays off this time next year.

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To make room on the active roster for Eflin and Rosario, we’ve optioned Zerpa to Triple-A and placed RHP Eflin into the #1 rotation spot ahead of RHP Lugo. Then come LHP Veneziano, RHP Hernandez, and LHP Lynch IV at the back of the rotation. With Will Smith being the main trade piece that left an opening in the bullpen, we can bring up RP Huascar Brazoban for a primary role as an eighth-inning setup man, with a secondary role as a stopper. We will keep Bernardino as the primary closer, and Stratton will continue as the seventh-inning setup man and a secondary closer.

1B Nick Pratto was optioned to Omaha to make space for SS Amed Rosario on the bench. Nick hasn’t played much for us this year, and his bat is mediocre at best, so I might be moving on from him soon if he doesn’t develop his contact skills and lower his strikeout rate.

Final Draft Signing

Since we have been able to get back in the black with ready cash, we now have enough to go ahead and offer SP Jackson Barberi his signing demand of $650,000 to join our minor league system. That will be the final drafted player we sign, and we can start working towards building a competitive team over the next few years.

Finally, I assigned scout Jason McLeod to focus exclusively on major league catchers with strong defensive skills and power hitters we can pursue in trades. I’ll also monitor the waiver wire to see if anyone emerges that fits the bill.

09-04-2025, 07:03 PM	#104
Biggp07 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Sep 2024 Posts: 197	Week 16 – July 25th: KC-TB Deal: Cross for Eflin; Extended Final Offer to Barberi Kansas City and Tampa Bay have reached a preliminary agreement on a trade. The Royals will send 35-year-old LHP Will Smith, 23-year-old minor league RF Gavin Cross, and 25-year-old minor league 3B Shervyen Newton to the Rays for 30-year-old RHP Zach Eflin and 28-year-old SS Amed Rosario. The deal is expected to close soon, and both teams will introduce their new players to the press once the paperwork is done. Eflin has pitched 135.2 innings over 20 starts this season, striking out 125 batters, walking 29, and posting a 4.25 ERA with 4 wins and 8 losses. When I heard that SP Zac Eflin of the Tampa Bay Rays was on the trading block, I decided to take a chance and see what drew him. It was encouraging when I could once again shed upcoming free agent Will Smith’s remaining contract and the expected $6.5 million in demand for a season next year, along with a disgruntled AA player, 3B Shervyen Newton. Their GM Erik Neander probably would have accepted without including Newton, but I had to sweeten the deal by giving up RF Gavin Cross, so I got SS Amed Rosario included in the deal. We will have to accept Eflin’s $18.0 million contract next year, but I’m hopeful that by then it will be a deal that pays off this time next year. To make room on the active roster for Eflin and Rosario, we’ve optioned Zerpa to Triple-A and placed RHP Eflin into the #1 rotation spot ahead of RHP Lugo. Then come LHP Veneziano, RHP Hernandez, and LHP Lynch IV at the back of the rotation. With Will Smith being the main trade piece that left an opening in the bullpen, we can bring up RP Huascar Brazoban for a primary role as an eighth-inning setup man, with a secondary role as a stopper. We will keep Bernardino as the primary closer, and Stratton will continue as the seventh-inning setup man and a secondary closer. 1B Nick Pratto was optioned to Omaha to make space for SS Amed Rosario on the bench. Nick hasn’t played much for us this year, and his bat is mediocre at best, so I might be moving on from him soon if he doesn’t develop his contact skills and lower his strikeout rate. Final Draft Signing Since we have been able to get back in the black with ready cash, we now have enough to go ahead and offer SP Jackson Barberi his signing demand of $650,000 to join our minor league system. That will be the final drafted player we sign, and we can start working towards building a competitive team over the next few years. Finally, I assigned scout Jason McLeod to focus exclusively on major league catchers with strong defensive skills and power hitters we can pursue in trades. I’ll also monitor the waiver wire to see if anyone emerges that fits the bill. Last edited by Biggp07; 09-04-2025 at 07:05 PM.