The Royals are going to have to start making some tough decisions.

Kansas City is two games out of a wild card spot and seven games behind Cleveland for the AL Central. After a successful draft and with the trade deadline less than two weeks away, the Royals could be pressured into going all in. That could include making some moves on some players in Omaha to be used as part of a trade or a call-up for a second-half push.

Did you ever play that game in high school? Kiss, Marry, or Kill? Well, this is kind of like that. This game is called Keep, Promote, or Trade. I will talk about certain Chasers that could be kept in Omaha, promoted to Kansas City, or part of a trade for potential assets to help make a run in the second half.

I think it’s time to get Nick Pratto to Kansas City. Vinnie Pasquantino has had an up and down season and while he’s been good at times, you have to wonder if he’s a long-term option for the Royals down the road. Pratto could spend a month or two learning from Vinnie and beginning his role as the Royals long-term first baseman. Pratto is batting .243 but has a slugging percentage of .439 with 14 homers and 49 RBIs. The other thing to consider is this: how long until Jac Caglianone is wearing a Storm Chasers jersey? If the Royals are so high on him, it wouldn’t shock me to see him in Omaha in August or September. Devin Mann and Josh Lester can hold down the fort at first base until Caglianone gets to East Nebraska. Get Pratto to KC and get him ready for the future.

Such a tough call with Rave. While you can say he’s having a career season in Omaha, he’s still unproven in the major leagues. Be that as it may, I’m not sending him somewhere else because he could have a future in Kansas City. Entering the 2024 offseason, the Royals’ lone contracted outfielder is Hunter Renfroe. He’ll enter the last year of his contract next season. MJ Melendez and Nelson Velazquez will be free agents as they’re at the end of their one-year deals this season. Given the year Rave has had, leading the team in homers with 15, and having another sharp year in the outfield, he could be bound for Kauffman next season. He’s been a core piece on the 2024 Chasers this season and I find it hard to believe the Royals would move on from him. 

I’m probably going to be the most hated person on Royals Twitter because of this take but if the Royals are going to make a playoff push, this is one of those moves you’re gonna have to make. Waters is batting .273 with ten homers and 44 RBIs, not to mention he was recently named International League Player of the Week for plays like this…

The Royals have only called up Waters one time for a stretch with the Yankees and the Dodgers. He went 1-8 in three games with two strikeouts. As I’ve said before, you can’t expect him to hit .200+ against two of the best pitching staffs in baseball. But the other thing is if you’re not going to give him a chance and if he’s not ready now, you could put together a package that could bring in a good reliever or starter and send him somewhere he could get a legitimate shot. Hate me or love me, Royals Twitter, but if you want the Royals to make a playoff push, this is the route you have to take.

Pennington has to become a helper in the bullpen at some point. He’s second among active bullpen arms in ERA (2.29) and is 5-3 on the season with five saves. He has a better ERA than Angel Zerpa and John Schreiber. He may not be as clutch as he was when the season began, but he gets quality outs at the right time. When you have so many pitchers ready to take that next step in the system, you have to think about sending him to Kansas City to help make that run.

As much as I think Alexander and Waters would be a great trade package, I think he’s going to stick around and finish the year in Omaha. Much like Pasquantino, you have to wonder if Maikel Garcia is a long-term option in the infield. If the Royals believe in CJ Alexander, they’ll let Garcia walk and bring up Alexander next season. Alexander has a better average than Garcia through mid-July (CJ .316, Garcia .230) and the second-best slugging percentage among active Chasers (Brian O’Keefe) with .555. He also has 11 homers and 40 RBIs whereas Garcia has six homers. Defensively, Alexander’s only committed three errors while Garcia has committed ten. The only reason I say they’re going to keep him is because the Chasers don’t have much depth at infield. Alexander is the third baseman of the future in Kansas City, and I think the Royals will let Garcia walk and give Alexander that role next season.

I can’t see Cam Devanney having this kind of season and going up to Kansas City any time soon. If Bobby Witt Jr. is still there, he’s never getting a shot at Kauffman. Having said that, I did point out that Waters and Alexander would be a great trade package. Swap Devanney for Alexander, and you have two guys who can hit and play defense that can get a shot at the majors while adding a major piece to the puzzle. Devanney’s offense has been as good, if not better, as his defense. He’s hitting .231 with 14 homers and 49 RBIs and his fielding has been nothing short of stellar this season.

The downside of trading him is there’s not a ton of options to fill that spot at shortstop. Ryan Fitzgerald has had a few stints there, but if he gets hurt you gotta bring someone up from NWA. But if the Royals want to go all in, making this kind of trade could be huge down the road should whoever they get help them get into the playoffs.

Daniel Lynch has not lost a game this season as a starter in a Storm Chasers uniform. That says it all. Regardless, I don’t think there’s anything else for him to do in Omaha. Even if he’s not a starter, I think the Royals could use him out of the bullpen to get some big outs. This season with Omaha, Lynch is 6-0 with a 3.89 ERA while allowing 35 earned runs and striking out 66. 66 strikeouts in 81 full innings pitched. His walk rate is a little more up than expected, but he’s been the ace of the Omaha rotation, and throwing him into a bullpen that desperately needs help would be a move that I’d like to see happen.

This is primarily a Triple-A depth concern, but I could see him as another trade asset. Given the way he’s playing right now, he’s improving that value every day. He has ten hits in his last nine games, four of those hits left the yard, he’s batting .318 in July, he’s throwing guys out… It’s just an incredible second-half turnaround for a guy who was batting .068 at one point. Having said all of that, the other catcher in Omaha at the moment is Brian O’Keefe. Could the Royals move Nola somewhere and get Cayden Wallace to East Nebraska? Absolutely. Until that happens, Nola is an emergency backup catcher should something happen to Salvador Perez and he’s going to stay put. 

The Royals wouldn’t get much if they send Cruz somewhere else, but I don’t think he’s going to make a huge difference in the bullpen should he get promoted. He’s been all over the place in Omaha and how that could transition into the majors scares me. Cruz is set to be a free agent at the end of the season, he’s only making $740k so it’s not a huge buyout, but he could have a shot somewhere else where arms are needed. Cruz is 5-1 with 43 strikeouts in just under 34 innings, so that could catch some eyes who are looking for bullpen help. I just don’t think he’s going to mesh well with a desperate Royals bullpen.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

PROMOTE – Anthony Veneziano, Evan Sisk, Will Klein, Nelson Velazquez.

KEEP – Tyler Gentry, Nate Eaton, Devin Mann, Noah Murdock.

TRADE – Carlos Hernandez, Ryan Fitzgerald, Tyler Duffey.

NEXT CHASERS GAME:

The Omaha Storm Chasers return to action this Friday for the first of three games with the Indianapolis Indians at Werner Park. It is Sitcom Night with an appearance from Lil’ Sebastian and a jersey giveaway. First pitch between the Chasers and Indians is scheduled for 7:05 pm.