The Royals are willing to listen to offers for Ervin Santana and would deal him for the right offer, sources tell Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com (via Twitter). The availability of the righty "changes the market for starting pitching," Rosenthal adds in a second tweet.
Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star also hears that Santana is available (Twitter link), but cautions that the price will be steep. The 30-year-old undoubtedly becomes one of the top starters on the block, as he's pitched to a sterling 3.18 ERA in 130.1 innings this year, posting a 7.2 K/9 and a 1.9 BB/9. Any acquiring team would be on the hook for the remaining portion of his $13MM salary this season. Meanwhile, the Royals would lose the ability to make him a qualifying offer, so we can expect that their asking price will exceed the value of a compensatory pick in the 2014 draft.
The news marks a change in posture for Royals GM Dayton Moore, as Dutton reported just a week ago that Moore wouldn't entertain offers for Santana. However, Kansas City is currently 46-51, and at eight games behind the first place Tigers heading into tonight's matchup with the Orioles, appear to have a slim chance of making the playoffs.
