Andrew Benintendi Trade Interest ‘Off The Charts’ Before MLB Deadline?

It sounds like the Kansas City Royals will have no trouble finding a dance partner if they deal Andrew Benintendi before the Major League Baseball trade deadline.

ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan shared this week on the “Baseball Tonight with Buster Olney” podcast that the veteran outfielder is generating significant interest across the league.

“Andrew Benintendi is that very unique deadline player. Everyone wants him,” Passan said. “The low payroll teams want him, the high payroll teams want him. Big markets want him, small markets want him. When Andrew Benintendi goes, I think Kansas City better get an absolute haul for him because the interest is, frankly, just off the charts from everyone.”

It’s likely a matter of when, not if, Benintendi will be traded. Kansas City owns the second-worst record in the American League and the 28-year-old is set to become a free agent this offseason.

The Royals theoretically could try to sign Benintendi to a contract extension, either during the season or this winter, but there’s no guarantee they’ll be successful. So, they might as well sell high and acquire assets rather than risk him leaving on the open market with nothing to show for it.

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“When I say big market and small market, yeah, everyone likes Andrew Benintendi,” Passan said. “The questions about him at this point are more, ‘is he trying not to hit for power and is he prioritizing and emphasizing average,’ and the answer is yes. Playing in Kauffman Stadium is a different beast than other ballparks. I think what you could see if Benintendi goes somewhere else is a return of the biceps and a little more pop depending on the stadium he’s playing in.”

The Boston Red Sox traded Benintendi, the seventh overall pick in 2015, to Kansas City before the 2021 season. He won a Gold Glove in his first year with the Royals and has continued to show upside in 2022, batting .319 with three home runs, 33 RBIs and a .794 OPS in 80 games (340 plate appearances).

Benintendi is making $8.5 million this season, a reasonable number that further explains why he’s appealing to both big market and small market clubs in need of outfield help.