Royals Bolster Bullpen with Multiple Trades

The Kansas City Royals have bolstered their bullpen by acquiring right-handed reliever Lucas Erceg from the Oakland Athletics and shortstop Paul DeJong from the Chicago White Sox. Erceg, who has a 3.68 ERA and 41 strikeouts over 36.2 innings this season, is under team control until 2030, providing long-term value. In exchange, the Royals sent pitching prospects Mason Barnett, Will Klein, and outfielder Jared Dickey to Oakland. The Royals, currently holding the third AL wild card spot, have made these moves to address their bullpen issues, which have been a weak point this season. Additionally, the Royals traded for Michael Lorenzen from the Texas Rangers and Hunter Harvey from the Nationals earlier this month. These trades aim to strengthen the team's playoff push and cover for recent injuries to key relievers.