It’s been awhile since we’ve seen the Royals act like contenders, however on condition that they entered the morning of the commerce deadline with a one-game lead for the third AL Wild Card spot, the habits is merited. On Monday they added righty starter Michael Lorenzen in a cope with the Rangers, and on Tuesday afternoon they swung offers for A’s reliever Lucas Erceg and White Sox infielder Paul DeJong. None of them are blockbusters, however all of them fortify Kansas Metropolis’s roster, with the DeJong transfer a step to deal with a very weak bench.
The Royals acquired the 30-year-old DeJong, who’s making $1.75 million this 12 months and has one other $250,000 in bonuses inside attain for attaining the 400- and 500-plate look thresholds, in alternate for 21-year-old righty Jarold Rosado, a reliever with the Royals’ A-level Columbia affiliate. The commerce happened about 4 hours earlier than the Royals have been set to play the White Sox at Assured Price Discipline, so DeJong joined his new membership — his fourth for the reason that begin of the 2023 season — by strolling from one dugout to the opposite.
Paul DeJong has walked over to the opposite dugout pic.twitter.com/Olm4BoirNH
— James Fegan (@JRFegan) July 30, 2024
Drafted and developed by the Cardinals, DeJong was as soon as thought of a foundational participant. Coming off a 25-homer 2017 season by which he was the runner-up within the NL Rookie of the 12 months voting, he signed a six-year, $26 million extension, a document on the time for a participant with lower than one 12 months of service time. He hit 30 house runs and made the NL All-Star crew in 2019, however by Might ’22, within the midst of his second consecutive season with a sub-.200 batting common, the Cardinals optioned him to Triple-A Memphis to revamp his swing. His efficiency rebounded, although to not his 2017–19 stage, and so forth August 1, 2023, he was traded to the Blue Jays. He went an unfathomable 3-for-44 for the Jays earlier than drawing his launch three weeks later, after which simply 9-for-49 after being picked up by the Giants. For the season, he hit .207/.258/.355 (66 wRC+).
Enjoying almost on daily basis for a White Sox crew that’s slipped beneath the 1962 Mets’ .250 profitable share, DeJong has been higher this 12 months, although his path to a 95 wRC+ has been an excessive one, as he’s hitting .228/.275/.430 by way of an ultra-aggressive strategy. His 58.4% swing price ranks fourth amongst all qualifiers, whereas his 18.5% swinging strike price is second; each are profession highs, with the previous eight factors above his profession common and the latter almost 5 factors above. His 33% chase price is merely the second-highest mark of his profession, however what’s notably eye-catching is that he’s at 40.9% — with barely greater swing and swinging-strike charges than these cited — since being traded final 12 months. It’s as if he’s hacking away to precise revenge for being pressured to undergo the Cardinal Approach for thus a few years. His .245 on-base share in that span is the majors’ lowest, and is perhaps learn as a tribute to bygone Royals shortstops. Positive, it’s the commerce deadline, however allow us to pause to Keep in mind Some Guys:
Royals Shortstops With Lowest On-Base Percentages
Minimal 500 plate appearances since 1969 and majority of video games performed with Royals at shortstop.
DeJong is within the ballpark of those hackers as a result of he’s walked in simply 3.9% of his plate appearances whereas hanging out in 30.9%; solely Ezequiel Tovar and Ceddanne Rafaela have decrease stroll charges. When he does make contact, his 88-mph common exit velocity ranks in simply the twenty eighth percentile, however his 9.6% barrel price is within the sixty fifth, and his 41.1% hard-hit price within the 62nd. He leads the White Sox with 18 house runs, however he’s shifting from a ballpark conducive to righty energy to at least one that’s not; when it comes to our park house run elements for righties, Assured Price Discipline is at 107, Kauffman Stadium at 94.
Now, whereas DeJong has performed 89 video games at shortstop this 12 months, he’s absolutely not going to supplant Bobby Witt Jr. there. He does have some expertise at each third base (11 video games this season) and second (22 profession video games, none this 12 months), and will bump the less-productive Nick Loftin, Adam Frazier, or Garrett Hampson from the roster, although for the second the Royals made room by designating pitcher John McMillon for task. All three of these non-Witt infielders are hitting for a 76 wRC+ or decrease; Loftin is the one one with minor league choices remaining. Essentially the most logical match for DeJong could be because the quick half of a platoon with lefty-swinging Michael Massey at second base, however DeJong has managed only a 68 wRC+ in 202 PA towards lefties for the reason that begin of final season, in comparison with an 84 wC+ in 561 PA towards righties. In that gentle, beginning at third base as a substitute of righty-swinging Maikel Garcia (who has only a 72 wRC+ towards righties) makes extra sense.
If DeJong is an improve for the Royals, he’s a modest one. To get him, the crew gave up what quantities to the proverbial lottery ticket in Rosado, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound righty whom the Royals signed out of the Dominican Republic in July 2022. Right here’s what Eric Longenhagen needed to say about him in notes supplied to me on Tuesday:
Rosado sits 94-97 mph along with his fastball and has a plus-projected, 2,700-rpm curveball and a seldom-used changeup. He’s acquired a super-high launch level, with almost seven toes of extension, and will get steep downhill motion, notably on the curve. As an athlete, Rosado is somewhat tightly wound and stiff, so although he’s thrown strikes so far, he’s been in a relief-only position for the previous two years and is more likely to keep there. He’s Rule 5-eligible this offseason, however has solely pitched in Low-A, so he’s more likely to be left off the 40-man roster, go unselected this 12 months, after which have a chance to earn a 40-man spot after subsequent season. He’s a center aid prospect monitoring for a 2026 debut.
As for the White Sox, they traded away righty Erick Fedde and outfielder Tommy Pham on Monday, after which dealt outfielder Eloy Jiménez to the Orioles and lefty Tanner Banks on Tuesday.
