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The Royals are bolstering their outfield with a pair of veterans, as Ok.C. has claimed each Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman off waivers. The Athletic’s Katie Woo reported (X link) that Pham was claimed off the Cardinals’ waiver wire after St. Louis designated him for task yesterday, and MLB.com’s Anne Rogers (via X) reported that the Royals additionally claimed Grossman away from the Rangers. Texas positioned Grossman on outright waivers on Thursday.
As a result of these additions had been made earlier than September 1, Pham and Grossman can be eligible for the Royals’ postseason roster if Ok.C. makes it into the playoff bracket. Coming off a dismal 106-loss season in 2023, the Royals have already far surpassed final yr’s win complete by posting a 75-61 report — Kansas Metropolis is in possession of the second AL wild card berth, and sit 2.5 video games behind the Guardians for first place within the AL Central.
Regardless of this success, the outfield has been a transparent weak hyperlink for Ok.C. for a lot of the season, and the ranks obtained even additional thinned when Hunter Renfroe was positioned on the injured listing final week. Past dropping Renfroe, the Royals’ lineup took one other massive hit when Vinnie Pasquantino suffered a damaged thumb Thursday and will likely miss the remainder of the common season.
The Royals had been one in all a number of groups who had interest in Pham previous to the commerce deadline, when Pham was a really apparent commerce candidate as a veteran rental on a rebuilding White Sox group. The Cardinals ended up with Pham and Erick Fedde as a part of a three-team trade involving the Dodgers and White Sox on the deadline, as St. Louis hoped that Pham and right-hander Erick Fedde might increase each the lineup and rotation heading into the playoff stretch.
Sadly for Playing cards Nation, no surge materialized, because the Cardinals have an 11-16 report in August. Pham himself didn’t present a lot assist, hitting .206/.286/.368 over 77 plate appearances throughout his transient stint in a St. Louis uniform.
Since Pham each needed extra taking part in time and needed to affix a contender, he discussed the possibility of a launch with the Cardinals, and that want has now been absolutely granted with the transfer throughout Missouri to the Royals. From the Cardinals’ perspective, parting methods with Pham each created extra outfield taking part in time for Jordan Walker, and saved a little bit of payroll. Pham has roughly $480K remaining on his authentic $3MM wage for the 2024 season, and Kansas Metropolis will now foot the remainder of that invoice.
The switch-hitting Grossman additionally started his season as a member of the White Sox, however was traded in Could again to the Rangers, as Texas was skinny on right-handed hitting. Grossman was a recognized amount in Arlington after being an everyday for the 2023 World Sequence group, and he posted related numbers in his second go-around as a Ranger, batting .238/.336/.362 over 122 PA for Texas this season.
The Rangers’ protection of their title has fallen far in need of expectations, and thus the group put each Grossman and fellow outfielder Travis Jankowski on outright waivers to see if one other group would clear a number of {dollars} off the Rangers’ books. Grossman has about $240K remaining of his $1.5MM base wage, so it makes for an additional cheap add for the Royals.
Grossman has continued to mash left-handed pitching and Pham has continued to publish stable numbers towards southpaws as effectively, giving Kansas Metropolis two new choices to work inside the lineup. Both participant might slot into Renfroe’s function as an everyday proper fielder who cedes some at-bats towards righties to Adam Frazier, or both Pham or Grossman might spell MJ Melendez (one other left-handed bat) in left discipline. With the DH spot additionally up for grabs, it isn’t exhausting to think about Pham or Grossman shifting into roughly on a regular basis roles, no less than till Renfroe is ready to return.
The Royals would be the ninth group Pham has suited up with on the MLB stage over the course of his 11 massive league seasons, whereas Grossman is becoming a member of his eighth group in a 12-year profession within the Present. The duo carry loads of expertise to a younger Royals group, and we simply must look again to 2023 to see how Grossman and Pham (after he joined the Diamondbacks) might help out a playoff contender.
With a playoff berth hanging within the steadiness, normal supervisor J.J. Picollo has now moved aggressively to try to tackle his group’s lineup wants earlier than the September 1 cutoff date. Relying on what occurs within the pennant race, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Royals make different additions to try to simply get into October, even when any newcomers after September 1 wouldn’t be a part of any playoff rosters.
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