Royals could claim intriguing Cardinals slugger to bolster offense

The Kansas City Royals were dealt a tough blow on Thursday when slugger Vinnie Pasquantino went down with a broken thumb. The Royals say that his timetable to return is roughly 6-8 weeks.

This leaves Kansas City in need of some offensive help as the September 1 wavier claim deadline nears. And they could potentially look to the St. Louis Cardinals for some help.

St. Louis placed outfielder Tommy Pham on waivers, and Cardinals insider Jeff Jones stated that there could be a fit for him in Kansas City.

"The Royals needed offensive help even before this," Jones tweeted. "Matt Quatraro's time with the Rays overlapped with Tommy Pham's. Something to keep in mind."

Pham got off to a hot start in his brief reunion with the Cardinals, hitting a pinch-hit grand slam in his first at-bat back. However, he has begun to struggle and has also lost some playing time as a result.

The 36-year-old is hitting .254 on the season with seven home runs, 31 RBI, six stolen bases, and a .699 OPS. The Cardinals are falling out of contention and likely were not going to bring Pham back for 2025 anyway.

But the Royals are playing for a spot in October, and some offensive help could give them a boost as they try to run down the Cleveland Guardians, who currently lead the American League Central.

Kansas City has been a surprise contender this season, but it would be interesting to see them give Pham a look and take some help from their Interstate 70 rivals, who once dominated the Missouri matchup.

The Royals have proven their desire to win and return to the postseason, so adding another bat certainly wouldn't hurt them as they fight for their spot.

We'll see if they end up plucking Pham away from St. Louis.

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