After finishing with 56 wins the year before, the Kansas City Royals are on pace to surpass that mark by the July 30 MLB trade deadline. Aside from their continued development from within, one of the reasons why the Royals have taken a massive step forward this year is thanks to an aggressive offseason of spending, where Kansas City signed multiple free agents.
Yet, one of the players the Royals didn’t add is now on the front office’s radar.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Chicago White Sox slugger Tommy Pham is one of the players the Royals have expressed interest in trading for this summer.
However, there are many teams interested in the 36-year-old who inked a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the White Sox this past offseason. Pham waited a long time until finding the right fit in Chicago, signing a minor-league contract with the team on April 15.
Despite his late start, Pham is picking up right where he left off at previous stops and actually has one of the highest batting averages of his career.
- Tommy Pham stats (2024): .276/.349/.388/.737, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 3 SB
Pham, a right-handed hitter capable of playing all three outfield positions, is likely generating a lot of interest ahead of the deadline. With the White Sox’s season practically already over, it wouldn’t be surprising if Chicago dealt him to another team any day now, yet they may prefer to wait and see if a better offer comes along from a contender desperate for another bat.
Related: MLB teams cautiously approaching trade for Chicago White Sox star Luis Robert Jr.