KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The Royals acquired left field pitcher Josh Taylor from the Red Sox on Tuesday in the sale of shortstop Adalberto Mondesi and another player. It was the second day in a row that Kansas City dropped an excessive number of players to its roster to bolster its squad.
Taylor, 30, missed all of last season with a back injury. But he shone in his previous three seasons with Boston, posting a 3.60 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 121 games. During one stretch in the 2021 season, he posted a streak of 26 consecutive scoreless appearances, the longest by a left-hander in franchise history.
Mondisi signed with the Royal Family in 2011 and has spent his entire career with the club. He made his major league debut in the 2015 World Series, when his future was considered formidable. But despite his exceptional speed and defense, as well as a few blips at the plate, Mondisi was held up due to multiple injuries. He barely played 109 games in the past three seasons.
Despite having another year on his contract, Mondisi’s future with the Royals was cloudy after last season’s debut of top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. – who responded with a . 252 home run average, 20 home runs and 30 stolen bases.
The Red Sox, who need help at shortstop, are confident the 27-year-old will stay healthy and repeat his 2019 level, when he hit . 263 with nine home runs and 43 steals in 102 games.
On Monday night, the Royals traded their quarterback to Central Division rival Minnesota for Stephen Cruz and Ivan Cesc, a pair of pitchers who can prop up the bullpen this season.