The Royals’ monthslong effort to replenish their farm system continued Monday evening, as they traded closer and eight-year veteran Kelvin Herrera to the Washington Nationals.
In their second trade of the month, the Royals acquired a trio of minor-league players: third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez, outfielder Blake Perkins and right-handed pitcher Yohanse Morel.
But in the process, they parted ways with the last remaining piece of the vaunted bullpen that terrorized baseball throughout two playoff runs and the 2015 World Series championship.
Herrera, a 28-year-old from Tenares, Dominican Republic, mesmerized Royals fans with a fastball that averaged nearly 100 mph.