The 2022 MLB trade deadline is fast approaching, and in the next two weeks, there could be several members of the Kansas City Royals joining new teams as a result. Left fielder Andrew Benintendi is arguably the top name on that list, and the All-Star trade market has been a hot topic of discussion in recent days.
Before Kansas City’s trip north of the border to take on the Toronto Blue Jays, many believed Benintendi would almost certainly eventually be traded. After, a whopping 10 players made it onto the restricted list for not being vaccinated against COVID-19. Benintendi was one of them, raising legitimate questions about his likelihood of being traded to an American League East club and, subsequently, making the new york yankees lighten up in their pursuit of him.*
*Editor’s note: Shortly after the publication of this article, a feinsand report indicated that the Yankees are back in Benintendi and have become “serious contenders” for him.
May 3, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, United States; Kansas City Royals left fielder Andrew Benintendi (16) singles against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
After rumors about whether or not he would get the vaccine for a chance to play in a playoff contender, put in the background, the Benintendi market outlook took a positive turn on Friday afternoon. According to Mark Feinsand of MLB Network, a variety of teams are expressing interest in making a move for the recently turned 28-year-old. The American League East is even back in play:
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It appears that Andrew Benintendi’s vaccination status is not having an impact on his commercial market. According to sources, several teams, including some from the AL East, are interested in acquiring the All-Star outfielder from the Royals.
– Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) on Friday, July 22, 2022 at 12:21pm CST
This is great news for the Royals as moving Benintendi makes all the sense in the world. He’ll be a free agent this offseason, and camp-centric reports of him and Kansas City discussing a possible contract extension have been virtually non-existent. Currently enjoying one of the best years of his career, Benintendi is likely to be out of reach for the Royals in the winter. Trading it now ensures at least some coming back instead of letting him go for nothing, and the fact that multiple teams are interested makes things even better.
In 88 games before Saturday’s play, Benintendi is posting career bests in batting average (.319), OBP (.389), K% (13.9) and wRC+ (128). He, too, is coming off a Gold Glove-winning campaign in left field and is capable of holding that spot in any major league ballpark. The only downside to acquiring Benintendi is that he’s not producing from a power standpoint. Aside from hitting just three home runs all year, his .083 ISO is the lowest single-season mark he’s had in his career by a wide margin. That said, he is on track for about as many doubles this year as he is in 2021.
Benintendi’s return is unlikely to include a top-100 prospect, though the addition of a relief pitcher like Scott Barlow or Josh Staumont could change that. Kansas City has plenty of assets to trade this year as its rebuild appears to continue even as it heads into the 2022 campaign with high expectations. Benintendi may still be part of that reconstruction in some way, but it will probably be through trade. If Feinsand’s report is any indication, those odds aren’t as bad as some may think.