The Royals have traded first baseman Lucas Duda to the Atlanta Braves for cash considerations. He provides the first-place Braves with a veteran bench bat and a backup first baseman behind Freddie Freeman. Duda was hitting .242/.311/.415 with 13 home runs in 85 games going into today’s afternoon contest against the Tigers.
The 32-year old Duda originally signed a one-year deal with the Royals before this season, paying him $3.5 million. He is eligible for free agency at the end of the season, and with the emergence of Ryan O’Hearn, Duda was unlikely to figure into the Royals’ plans next year.