Photo above courtesy of the Kansas City Royals: Ian Kennedy celebrates a win. Kennedy could be an option to deal as the trade deadline approaches.

By Greg Echlin

The Kansas City Royals made their first move, June 6, last year when they sent Jon Jay to the Arizona Diamondbacks for a couple of prospects.  This year’s team is in the same state as a year ago as the losses mount, which brings up the question: When will the day come when an established player is traded?

There are some viable candidates: Whit Merrifield, Alex Gordon, Ian Kennedy, Billy Hamilton and Homer Bailey.

All have their own commodities, but the player whose stock may be quietly rising the most because of his new role is Kennedy.  He racked up his fifth save in the three-game series opener (June 11) against the Detroit Tigers.  Only the lack of opportunities to protect leads late in the game has prevented Kennedy from notching a few more saves.

“We try not to think about that stuff,” said Kennedy when reminded the Royals became active in the trade market during June last year.  “There’s articles and there’s stuff out there that says that guys can be traded and you know that.  It’s part of the business.”

After nine years as a starter, Kennedy has been used strictly out of the bullpen this season and, lately, he has evolved into the Royals closer.

“It’s been a constant learning process, only having three outings in spring (training) and then learning that first month,” said Kennedy when asked about the conversion.  “Yeah, I had success, but I still felt like I was learning what my role was.”

Kennedy is in his fourth year of a five-year contract, which pays him $16.5 million in each of the next two years.  If a team were to obtain Kennedy for the rest of this season, these days there’s usually an amount negotiated between the two teams that provides some financial relief for each side.

In 2013, Kennedy was traded before the July 31 deadline by the Diamondbacks to San Diego, so he’s no stranger to the circumstances of a mid-season trade.

“It’s always a little weird,” said Kennedy.  “It’s a little difficult to try to find housing and move your family, especially when they’ve got things going on.”

If Kennedy were to be traded, he may not inherit a closer’s role, but his ability to get hitters out in the late innings could be a huge factor as a bridge relief pitcher.  His velocity has picked up since his move to the pen.

The hefty amount a team would be saddled with in 2020 might scare off some contenders.  But the prospect of a veteran pitcher like Kennedy who could help a team reach the World Series with his late-inning relief work can also be enticing.