Royals were efficient buyers at trade deadline but key decisions still remain
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Royals added three starting pitchers to bolster depth amid key injuries.
- Freddy Fermin trade netted high-potential arms Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek.
- Mike Yastrzemski acquisition boosts offensive platoon options against right-handers.
Kansas City Royals general manager J.J. Picollo came into Thursday’s MLB trade deadline with a clear agenda.
Picollo wanted to acquire pitching depth given injuries to three starting pitchers. The Royals are currently without Cole Ragans, Michael Lorenzen and Kris Bubic. KC will likely get Ragans and Lorenzen back in a few weeks. However, Bubic is lost for the remainder of the season.
So Picollo got to work.
He acquired left-handed starter Bailey Falter from the Pittsburgh Pirates and he added two high-upside starters in exchange for backup catcher Freddy Fermin. Offensively, the Royals got Mike Yastrzemski from the San Francisco Giants.
The Royals now have a full-strength starting rotation. They will need it as they embark on a pivotal nine-game road trip against the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins in the upcoming days.
“I think what we have done will allow us to work through the year with the pitchers we have and the starting pitchers we have in an efficient way that’s going to be healthy for all of them,” Picollo said. “And we are just excited we were able to gain these guys.”
Who are the new guys?
The Royals made the tough decision to send Fermin to the Padres. It was a deal that made sense for both sides as the Padres held Fermin in high regard. The Royals were able to acquire right-handers Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek in the deal.
Both players could become key contributors in the future.
Bergert has looked solid in his rookie season. He owns a 2.78 ERA in 11 appearances (seven starts) and has held opponents to a .186 batting average. There is a lot to like about his ability to limit runs with a variety of pitches and the Royals have multiple years of team control to develop him further.
Kolek has a complete-game shutout this season. He is stretched out with a 4.18 ERA in 14 starts. The Royals like his ability to generate ground balls, which is key to play in Kauffman Stadium. He has 17 ground-ball double plays this season.
Expect the Royals to use either player in the starting rotation. It remains to be seen which one will operate alongside Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha and Noah Cameron in the short term.
Falter is likely to be in the rotation. He was on the Royals’ radar earlier this month and recently pitched at Kauffman Stadium on July 9. The Royals are excited to work with Falter as he has a relationship with pitching coach Brian Sweeney.
“He is a tough competitor, I will tell you that,” Picollo said. “He has a sound delivery and he throws strikes. We feel like there are things we will be able to do with him that may help him continue to develop. He’s got three years of control, which is outstanding for us.”
Falter last pitched on July 29 against the Giants. He has allowed two earned runs in his last two starts and produced nine strikeouts in 12 innings. The Royals have lined up Wacha, Cameron and Lugo against the Blue Jays.
As a result, Falter could make his Royals debut against the Boston Red Sox next week.
What will Mike Yastrzemski bring to the table?
The Royals value professional at-bats and positional versatility. KC built its bench with guys who have high floors this season.
For example, the Royals re-acquired Adam Frazier because he is a left-handed infield option, which allows manager Matt Quatraro to exploit pitching matchups. The Royals also added Randal Grichuk because he hammers left-handed pitching.
Well, Yastrzemski was acquired in a similar vein. He crushes right-handed pitchers and that creates a likely natural platoon with Grichuk. The Royals can deploy both while still giving time to rookie outfielders Jac Caglianone and John Rave.
This season, Yastrzemski is hitting .254 with 12 doubles, seven home runs and 23 RBIs against right handers. He also has five seasons with at least 15 homers, which adds a power dynamic to the Royals bench.
How will Royals fill Freddy Fermin’s void?
The Royals will turn to Luke Maile as the newest backup catcher. He will step in when Salvador Perez is either at first base or operates as the designated hitter.
The Royals wanted to keep Maile on the active roster. He knows how to handle a pitching staff and has acclimated well in the clubhouse. While it was tough for the Royals to part with Fermin, they felt comfortable with Maile in the fold.
Fermin gets a chance to be a starting catcher with the Padres. The Royals always felt he could start for any MLB team and Picollo admitted there was interest since the offseason. On Thursday, the Padres offered a deal the Royals couldn’t refuse.
The ability to get two young starters was well worth trading Fermin.
“We think it made sense for both teams and we want Freddy to do well for San Diego,” Picollo said.
And it could pave the way for the Royals to get a closer look at top catching prospect Carter Jensen heading into the 2026 offseason. Jensen is currently in Triple-A Omaha and starred in the All-Star Futures Game this month at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia.
Can the Royals push for an AL Wild Card spot?
The Royals sit at 54-55 overall with 53 games remaining. This weekend, they will play three teams that are squarely fighting for a playoff spot. The Blue Jays (64-46) lead the AL Central and the Red Sox (59-51) currently hold a slot in the wild card.
Meanwhile, the Twins (51-57) were sellers at the trade deadline.
The Royals will need to emerge with a winning road trip next week. KC currently sits three games back of both the Seattle Mariners and Texas Rangers — both are tied with a 57-52 record.
Will the infusion of talent push the Royals across the finish line? It’s one of the many questions remaining this season. However, Picollo is confident that the newest additions will help the club in more ways than one.
“There were buyers and there were sellers,” Picollo said. “And I think there were teams trying to do both. I think what we ended up doing is doing both. Signing Seth (Lugo) to the extension, to me, is a move for the future that helps right now. And these moves, three starting pitchers, is the same type of move for us.”
This story was originally published August 1, 2025 at 9:49 AM with the headline "Royals were efficient buyers at trade deadline but key decisions still remain."
