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3 Royals Veterans That Could Be Traded During the 2020 MLB Season

By Tristan Jung

Danny Duffy has played for the Royals since 2011, but he could be on the move this year.
Danny Duffy has played for the Royals since 2011, but he could be on the move this year. / Ed Zurga/Getty Images
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The Kansas City Royals are projected to be at the bottom of the AL Central this year, and FanDuel Sportsbook gives them just +15000 odds to win the division.

With missing the playoffs a near-certainty, the Royals will be looking to offload veterans to contenders in exchange for prospects. After the highs of the 2010s, Royals are headed for a long rebuild to start the 2020s, and there are several names that could be on the move in a few months.

3. Whit Merrifield

The Royals' Whit Merrifield is set to move to center field in 2020.
The Royals' Whit Merrifield is set to move to center field in 2020. / Daniel Shirey/Getty Images

Whit Merrifield is the Royals' most productive player, but he's 31 and his contract makes him a definite trade candidate for 2020. Merrifield can play second base and the outfield, and he hit .302 while adding 20 stolen bases last year. Because of his team-friendly deal that only pays him $4 million per year through 2023, Merrifield should command a large return on the trade market. The Royals will be trading a fan favorite, but it makes no sense to keep Merrifield as the Royals will almost certainly not be competitive during most of his contract. GM Dayton Moore held Merrifield through the offseason, but the offers he gets in July may be too good to pass up.

2. Danny Duffy

Left-hander Danny Duffy could be on the market in 2020.
Left-hander Danny Duffy could be on the market in 2020. / Ed Zurga/Getty Images

Danny Duffy was a mainstay of the Royals' rotation through the 2014 and 2015 World Series runs, but the $26 million he's owed through 2021 makes him a prime trade candidate. Duffy hasn't been very effective over the last two seasons, ending 2019 with a 4.78 FIP, but teams will always be interested in a lefty starter with major league experience. If Duffy is healthy, the Royals will hope to move him, even if his contract and track record aren't going to fetch a top-notch prospect in return.

1. Ian Kennedy

Ian Kennedy reinvented himself as a lockdown reliever in 2019.
Ian Kennedy reinvented himself as a lockdown reliever in 2019. / Michael Zagaris/Getty Images

Ian Kennedy has had many twists and turns in his career since he came up as a prospect with the New York Yankees, but he's still surprising the baseball world at age 35. After losing his spot in the starting rotation, Kennedy transitioned to the bullpen and put together a fantastic season as the Royals' closer in 2019. His strikeouts per nine innings rose from 7.90 to 10.37 and he ended the year with 30 saves and a 2.99 FIP. While a lights-out closer is a great asset to have during a playoff run, the Royals will have little use for him this year. It was surprising that the Royals even kept Kennedy at the 2019 deadline, but with Kennedy on the last year of his contract and the Royals in full tank mode, Kennedy should be playing for another club in August.

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Tristan Jung is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Tristan Jung also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username tristan1117. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.