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Morry Gash/Associated Press

Kansas City Royals Get: RF Kole Calhoun

Los Angeles Angels Get: OF Jorge Bonifacio, LHP Foster Griffin, RHP Alec Mills and LHP Matt Strahm

The Rumor

ESPN's Buster Olney speculates that the Angels moving Kole Calhoun back to the No. 2 spot in their lineup is not only a move geared to try and spark the team's offense, but to better showcase Calhoun as a potential trade chip they can play to start rebuilding a decimated farm system.

Why It Makes Sense for the Angels

Los Angeles needs live arms in its system, not only for 2016 but the future as well. Both Jered Weaver and C.J. Wilson are free agents after the season, Garrett Richards is expected to miss at least the first half of 2017 as he recovers from Tommy John surgery and the team can't reasonably count on Tyler Skaggs.

That leaves the Angels with little in the rotation, no pitching prospects close to helping down on the farm and an upcoming free-agent class that's light on reliable, impact arms. While none of the three pitchers they get in this deal projects as a future ace, all three project as solid, mid-rotation arms.

Foster Griffin, 20, has a higher ceiling than Alec Mills and Matt Strahm, both 24, but the trio has exhibited terrific command and control of their arsenals and have the ability to make batters swing and miss. Mills and Strahm are more MLB-ready than Griffin, but they could all contribute in 2017.

The younger brother of veteran utility man Emilio Bonifacio, 22-year-old Jorge Bonifacio has all the tools teams look for in a right fielder—a strong, accurate throwing arm, developing power and enough athleticism to get to balls hit down the line or into the right-center field gap. He too is nearly MLB-ready.

Why It Makes Sense for the Royals

Right field has been a gaping hole for Kansas City this year, with the platoon of Jarrod Dyson and Paulo Orlando providing mediocre results. In terms of adjusted offense, only Philadelphia has gotten less production from the position than the defending champions.

Calhoun would represent a significant upgrade at the plate while still providing the above-average defense that has been a staple of Kansas City's outfield the past few seasons.

Under team control through 2019 and making only $3.4 million in 2016, Calhoun is the kind of affordable, long-term addition the Royals need to plug a glaring hole in the lineup. His addition also makes the bench deeper, with Dyson and Orlando both returning to reserve roles.