‘Unequivocally false’: Royals general manager blasts report about trade conversations
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Royals GM J.J. Picollo denied trade rumors, calling the report 'unequivocally false'.
- Offensive struggles continue as Royals rank last in home runs and OPS with RISP.
- Kansas City fell 11.5 games behind in AL Central, remains three games out of WC spot.
A presumptive Kansas City Royals rumor crossed social media airwaves Tuesday, and it created quite the stir.
So much so that the Royals vehemently denied it.
Here is what happened.
New York reporter Mark C. Healey posted a tweet on X (formerly known as Twitter) that he heard rumblings that Royals ownership gave general manager J.J. Picollo a directive to “start thinking” about potential trades involving veteran players ahead of the MLB trade deadline.
The Royals addressed the tweet throughout the day. Picollo told Cody and Gold on 96.5 The Fan that there was no truth to the report.
“Unequivocally false. That is as false as can be,” Picollo said. “The accountability of that writer should be in question.”
A Royals spokesperson added on X there was a “zero percent” chance the report was accurate.
Healey, who is the editor-in-chief at the The Rockaway Wave newspaper in Rockaway, New York, shared his thoughts on Sports Radio 810 later in the day.
“I’ve dealt with PR people and front office people going on 30 years in media,” Healey said on The Program with hosts Soren Petro and Kurtis Seaboldt. “ … I had a conversation last night with a friend of mine, and I want to protect my source, that is somebody that is connected to the Royals.”
Healey said it was a casual conversation about the temperature around the Royals as the trade deadline was approaching.
“I didn’t ask about any particular player or anything like that,” Healey continued. “(The source) just said, ‘Look, ownership has basically said: J.J., you have to start thinking about trading some veteran talent as we get closer to the deadline. You have to think about it.’ And I thought that was interesting.”
The Royals have struggled this season. The club entered the 2025 campaign with playoff aspirations but has fallen short so far. The pitching staff has shined but the lineup hasn’t produced offensively.
Picollo has tried multiple internal options. The Royals called up top prospect Jac Caglianone and sent MJ Melendez to Triple-A Omaha. Hunter Renfroe is no longer with the organization after being designated for assignment.
The Royals are still in an offensive rut. They rank dead last with 46 home runs and a .595 OPS (on-base plus slugging) with runners in scoring position.
Last week, the team held a players only meeting. It came on the heels of a winless homestand against the New York Yankees and Athletics at Kauffman Stadium.
The Royals are hopeful to turn things around. However, they have slipped further in the American League Central and entered Tuesday 11 ½ games behind the Detroit Tigers.
In the AL Wild Card, the Royals are three games back of a playoff spot, but they would have to jump six other teams to secure a playoff bid.
Healey pondered if the Royals would consider moving veteran starter Seth Lugo. The 2024 All-Star has a player option and could opt for free agency after the season.
“(Lugo) is 36 and having a decent season for the Royals,” Healey said. “He is somebody that a lot of (New York) Mets fans and certainly my followers would love to have back. I thought it would be a great way to introduce the topic being to someone that (they) would know. … I didn’t say they were moving Seth Lugo. With that in mind, Seth Lugo would be a good pickup for the Mets.”
Healey was surprised at how Picollo denied his claims. He felt that it was a “benign tweet” after his conversation.
“It wasn’t linked to any story that I wrote and it certainly wasn’t clickbait,” Healey said. “I was really surprised by how vehemently they denied my report.”
The Royals will continue to evaluate their roster moving forward. They will look for potential outfield bats to supplement their offense.
For now, the club faces a three-game series against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, looking to snap a six-game losing streak.
This story was originally published June 17, 2025 at 7:13 PM with the headline "‘Unequivocally false’: Royals general manager blasts report about trade conversations."
