Royals claim veteran OFs Pham, Grossman, trade for 1B Gurriel

HOUSTON -- The Royals were busy Saturday, picking up three veteran players for the final month of the regular season and the ensuing playoff push.

Kansas City claimed two veteran outfielders off waivers, adding Tommy Pham from the Cardinals and Robbie Grossman from the Rangers. A few hours later, they made a Minor League trade for Yuli Gurriel, sending cash to the Braves for the 40-year-old first baseman. Gurriel signed a Minor League contract with Atlanta in April, and he’s been playing for Triple-A Gwinnett since.

“This time of year, you're very limited in how you can acquire players, and waivers is one way to do it,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said. “We had interest in [Pham and Grossman] at the Deadline. Obviously we didn't get them, but we just kind of kept monitoring … what they were doing, along with others, and we put in the claim the other day.

“It’s rare you get two guys in one day, but this is one of those cases that went our way. It should provide a lot of depth.”

Pham was designated for assignment by the Cardinals on Friday, while Grossman was placed on outright waivers the same day, opening the door for other teams to add them. Sunday is the deadline by which players must be in an organization to be eligible for postseason rosters.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Pham and Grossman, the Royals designated infielder CJ Alexander and catcher Austin Nola for assignment. The team expects both Pham and Grossman to report on Sunday, so corresponding 26-man roster moves will be made then. Rosters expanding to 28 players -- giving teams an extra position player and pitcher -- on Sunday takes care of one spot, but the Royals will have to make two more corresponding moves to add all three newcomers, as well as another 40-man move for Gurriel when he joins the Major League team.

The Royals have been interested in Pham, an 11-year Major League veteran, this season and explored trading for him at the Trade Deadline before the Cardinals acquired him and Erick Fedde in a three-team trade with the White Sox and Dodgers.

The 36-year-old began the year with Chicago and slashed .266/.330/.380 with 14 doubles and five homers in 70 games. Since then with St. Louis, Pham slashed .206/.286/.368 in 23 games. He can play both corners in the outfield and adds a veteran right-handed presence to the Royals’ lineup.

“He makes you a better team by his intensity,” said manager Matt Quatraro, who was the bench coach for Tampa Bay during Pham’s two seasons with the Rays (2018-19). “He comes here with one purpose every day, and that's to kick your butt.”

Grossman, 34, has made a career out of tormenting left-handed pitching with an .809 career OPS against southpaws. The corner outfielder, who also started this season with the White Sox, hasn’t been as productive against righties this year, with a .172/.277/.207 line against them. The Royals could certainly use his bat off the bench against lefties, however.

“It’s a deeper team now, so we’re going to have more options to match up against our opponents,” Picollo said. “With Robbie, especially if you’re facing left-handed pitching, I would imagine he’ll get an opportunity to play a lot.

“The more options we have, with the way [Quatraro] likes to use the bench and mix the lineups, and the more versatility you have … the better off you are.”

Kansas City has been scouring the waiver market to add any kind of depth for this last month of the season, and especially after losing first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino to a broken right thumb on Thursday night against the Astros. Pasquantino had surgery on Friday and will likely be out for the rest of the regular season.

“That’s a good example of how quickly the season can get away from you, and how you have to continue to work to build your roster out,” Picollo said. “The other night made us even more aggressive with waiver claims and trying to provide depth, because anything can happen.”

Quatraro said he plans on rotating players to play first base, including catcher Salvador Perez, utility man Nick Loftin and outfielders Garrett Hampson, Adam Frazier and even MJ Melendez. When Hunter Renfroe (right hamstring strain) returns from the injured list, he could also be a substitution at first base.

Gurriel is a natural first baseman and a career .281/.326/.440 hitter. He spent the first seven years of his big league career with Houston, where he won two World Series titles, before playing for Miami in 2023. In Triple-A this year, Gurriel has an .863 OPS with 18 doubles and 12 home runs.

And with so many players rotating around first base, that creates open spots in the outfield for Pham and Grossman.

All three newcomers can help lengthen the Royals’ lineup and give professional at-bats when called upon. Pham, who has a career .348 on-base percentage, and Grossman (career .345 OBP) could also help at the top of the lineup, a huge area of need for Kansas City. Royals leadoff hitters have posted the fifth-worst average in baseball this year entering Saturday (.231), and have a .616 OPS that’s 30th in the Majors.