The Kansas City Royals, in an unusual move for the long-suffering franchise, are actually buyers during this summer’s annual trade deadline, and they already struck the biggest deal yet on Sunday, July 26, landing ace Johnny Cueto from the Cincinnati Reds.
The deal cost Kansas City, which leads the AL with a 59–38 record (through Sunday), three young left-handed minor league pitchers—John Lamb, Brandon Finnegan, and Cody Reed. Cincinnati should be able to plug Lamb and Finnegan into the middle or back of the rotation by next year and Reed could make an impact the year after. At worst, they could be valuable relievers for the Reds.
For the Royals, the move is out of the ordinary for a team and fan base that has seen former stars like Zack Greinke, Carlos Beltrán, Johnny Damon, and Jermaine Dye exit via trades over the years.
