The Kansas City Royals acquired right-handed reliever John Schreiber from the Boston Red Sox for minor league right-hander David Sandlin, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. The Royals get a much needed arm for the bullpen and the Red Sox get a pitching prospect with strikeout stuff.
The Royals busy offseason continues. Their much improved club gives them a fighting chance in a weak AL Central. Schreiber has been dominate in his last two seasons with Boston. Pitching to a 2.90 ERA with 127 strikeouts in 111.2 innings.
His 2023 saw a bit of regression, but none too alarming. He missed two months with a strain in his right shoulder and returned mid-July. Schreiber will turn 30 next month and will earn $1.175 million in Kansas City before reaching his second year of arbitration.
Heading back to Boston is 23-year old David Sandlin. Sandlin pitched to a 3.41 ERA and an has an outstanding 32.38% strikeout rate in 68.2 career minor league innings. Sandlin was a 11th round pitch by Kansas City in 2022.
Sandlin was recently listed by ESPN's Kiley McDaniel as the Royals' fifth-best prospect in the farm system, and by Keith Law of The Athletic, who placed the righty eighth. Baseball America ranked Sandlin at 20th, reflecting a significantly more negative outlook.
The trade might come off as one sided for the Royals. However, Sandlin has the quality to become either a top pitcher or bullpen piece. Schreiber will fit into the Royals bullpen nicely and still has two years of control left.