Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
Several outlets are now reporting that the Los Angeles Angels have been in trade talks with the Kansas City Royals since yesterday. The talks have centered around the Halos dealing second baseman Howie Kendrick in exchange for a solid — or at least major league-ready — starting pitcher.
Just one problem: the Royals are one of the 12 teams to whom Kendrick can veto a trade. If that happens, then it looks like the Angels won’t be able to make any more moves unless there is another suitor for Kendrick.
The Kendrick rumors come just a day after talks reportedly broke down between the Angels and the St. Louis Cardinals, who approached the Halos in an attempt to acquire shortstop Erick Aybar. Given Aybar’s higher positional value at shortstop and the unwillingness of the Cardinals to part with a rotation pitcher in the middle of a potential World Series run, it’s not surprising that those talks went nowhere.
The Royals, however, are seeking an upgrade at second base. Current starter Chris Getz is hitting just .209 on the season, meaning that Kendrick would be a significant improvement.
It’s unclear who the Angels could poach from the Royals pitching staff. One possibility is to get a third team involved somehow, which isn’t totally out of the question. Otherwise, the Halos could be setting their sights on Jeremy Guthrie (10-7, 4.27 ERA on the year).
One thing is certain: if the Angels can’t acquire a pitcher by tonight, it will be a huge disappointment for the fans. They will never get a better offer for Kendrick than they will get today. If they wait until the offseason to fill their pitching need, then they open themselves up to exactly the kind of overpriced, free agent boom-or-bust signing that has crippled this franchise in the first place.
Tony Baker is a Los Angeles Angels writer for Rant Sports. You can follow him on Twitter at @tonloc_baker.
