(Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports)
Little mystery preceded the KC Royals’ approach to last month’s major league trade deadline. A bad May and even worse June made the Royals sellers as the July 30 deadline drew near. No one knew what the club might do, but expectations were generally low. Whit Merrifield promised to bring the best return, but the notion of trading him so exceeded Kansas City’s norms that a deal involving him became implausible no matter how much sense it made.
Almost as unrealistic was a Danny Duffy trade, but not because his status as a “10 & 5” player made any and all trades subject to his express approval.