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The deal Wednesday night that sent veteran outfielder Scott Podsednik to the Los Angeles Dodgers resulted in part from the Royals' desire to create playing time for other players over the season's closing weeks.
"It allows us to put Alex Gordon in left field and just let him go," manager Ned Yost said. "It also opens up a spot for Mitch Maier to get more playing time. Both of those things are important."
The Royals also view their two minor-league players acquisitions — catcher Lucas May and right-handed pitcher Elisaul Pimentel — as a preferred alternative to the likely compensatory draft pick if Podsednik departs after the season as a free agent.
"Without the assurance that we were going to be able to sign him long-term going forward," general manager Dayton Moore said, "we just felt it was the right time to move Scotty if indeed we got a deal that we desired."
May, 25, was batting .296 with 11 homers and 45 RBIs in 73 games at Triple-A Albuquerque. He was assigned to Omaha.
"He's still developing behind the plate," Moore said, "but he's very athletic and he's got the skill set to project (as a starting catcher)."
May was a shortstop and an outfielder who didn't become a catcher until after the 2006 season. He played last September for the USA club that won the World Cup under Royals third-base coach Eddie Rodriguez.
Pimentel, 22, is 9-3 with a 3.49 ERA in 17 games, including 16 starts, at Class A Great Lakes. He was the Midwest League pitcher of the month in June after going 4-0 with an 0.39 ERA. The Royals assigned him to Class A Burlington.
"He's a very polished young pitcher," Moore said, "who throws a lot of strikes and commands all of his pitches. He fits with what we're trying to do in going forward — to acquire as much young pitching as we can."
Podsednik, 34, extended his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games Wednesday by going two for five in a 6-4 loss to Minnesota at Kauffman Stadium. He is batting .310 and led the Royals with 30 stolen bases.
The Royals signed Podsednik to a one-year contract last winter as a free agent for a guaranteed $1.75 million. The deal contains a club option for next year at $2 million, but Podsednik can void it if, as seems certain, he gets 90 more plate appearances.
Voiding the option would permit him to become a free agent. Since Podsednik projects as a Type B free agent, the Royals, provided they offered arbitration, would have received a pick between the first and second rounds of next year's draft if he signed elsewhere.
"If it wasn't a deal that we liked," Moore said, "we wouldn't have done it. We would have just played out the string and see what transpired in the offseason."
While May must be placed on the Royals' 40-man organizational roster, the Royals must add a player to their 25-man active unit prior to tonight's game against Baltimore. Moore indicated that player is likely to be a reliever, at least temporarily, to aid a fatigued bullpen.
The leading candidate is right-hander Greg Holland, who is 3-3 with a 3.81 ERA in 38 games at Omaha. Other possibilities include lefty Blaine Hardy and right-hander Louis Coleman.
The Royals might not be done dealing, either.
Moore indicated the club expects to clear playing time for Omaha first baseman Kila Ka'aihue in the near future. That points to heightened efforts to trade outfielder/designated hitter Jose Guillen prior to Saturday's non-waiver deadline.
"It's important to get Kila on our club and create opportunities," Moore said. "I'm not saying it going to happen (today), but we expect it to happen very shortly."
