[Biggp07]

First Trade

Reflecting the saying that one person's trash is another's treasure, the Royals announced today that they acquired 17-year-old minor league first baseman Dermott Thompson and 33-year-old minor league right-handed pitcher Justin Topa from the Minnesota Twins. In exchange, they sent 25-year-old minor league right fielder Tyler Gentry, 31-year-old minor league left fielder Dairon Blanco, and 29-year-old minor league left-handed pitcher Jake Brentz.

The inclusion of both young prospects and seasoned veterans in the trade highlights a strategic focus on balancing future potential with experienced players. "This isn't the deal of the century," the Royals admitted, "but we believe it will positively influence the future direction of both teams," emphasizing the importance of age diversity and development in their long-term planning. We were also able to save a bit of cash in the trade deal. Blanco is currently batting .206 with 2 home runs, 11 RBIs, and 20 runs scored.




We’ve assigned Topa to the Triple-A team, and Thompson will start on the ACL team. We aim to develop Thompson’s potential as a power hitter and corner outfielder. He is still young and has several years to refine his skills and become a starter with some focused effort.

Second Trade

A trade between the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals was finalized this morning, reflecting the difficult decisions both teams faced, but ultimately believing it will pay off in the long run. The Reds sent 27-year-old second baseman Jonathan India and 20-year-old minor league right fielder Ariel Almonte to the Royals in exchange for 34-year-old right-handed pitcher Seth Lugo. India, who is hitting .225 in 2024 with 11 RBIs and 6 home runs, and Lugo, who has posted a 3-9 record with a 5.34 ERA in 16 starts this year, are part of strategic moves aimed at strengthening their respective rosters for future success.



Jonathan India will be added to the active roster since he is a major leaguer, so we will option Can Devanney to Omaha to free up a spot on the roster for India. Ariel Almonte will get a starting spot on the Carolina League A team to finish this season, and we’ll see where he is placed next year.



This trade surprised even me once we completed it, but I suppose it's a done deal as of tonight. I now need to revise the pitching staff after Lugo packed his bags and left for Cincinnati just a few hours ago. I have been somewhat hesitant to trade him, and honestly, I still feel a bit unsure. I realize, though, that the best time to sell players is when they have value to other teams, especially since we don’t really have much of a chance at making the postseason. By trading him, we also managed to shed about $30.0 million in salary over the next two years, and we still have Ragans, Singer, and Wright due to come back to us by the offseason.

If these last-minute trades were a poor choice on my part, so be it. I may have sacrificed too much to finish the season with fewer than 100 losses, and it’s uncertain if I’ll be around to compete next season. If I am, I’ll gladly take credit for their success; if not, I’ve enjoyed my time running the show here.