The KC Royals ended their homestand with consecutive blowout losses against the Philadelphia Phillies, ahead of a four-game stay in Cleveland. Royals fans leaving Kauffman Stadium had to feel down about their boys in blue, but one former Royals player was having some blues of his own.
The Pittsburgh Pirates placed outfielder Michael A. Taylor on outright waivers Sunday evening, following their walk-off win over the Cincinnati Reds. It marks the potential of a premature divorce between Pittsburgh and Taylor, who signed a one-year contract with the Pirates this offseason. FanSided‘s Robert Murray first reported the transaction on X.
If Taylor remains unclaimed by Tuesday afternoon, he’ll likely return to the Pirates, but the waiver placement gives Pittsburgh a chance to clear the remainder of his salary, and for a contender to receive an infusion of defensive skill down the stretch.
Says there’s about a 50/50 chance that Michael A. Taylor is claimed on waivers (which expire at 1 PM tomorrow) and speculates that Taylor will probably stick around with the Pirates if he goes unclaimed https://t.co/0m4Tw1dh14
— Ethan Fisher (@efisher330) August 26, 2024
This move was a long time coming after Taylor’s season-long struggles with the NL Central club. He appeared in 100 games for Pittsburgh but posted career-worsts in nearly every batting metric imaginable. Pittsburgh had hoped Taylor would replicate his 21-homer season from 2023, but instead, he managed just a .541 OPS, 50 wRC+, and a nearly 35% strikeout rate, making him one of baseball’s worst batters.
Despite his offensive struggles, Taylor continued to play elite defense in center field, recording 10 Outs Above Average, which tied for the eighth-most among all MLB fielders. Some players have a defining skill, and for the 33-year-old, his glove is undoubtedly his calling card.
Taylor played for the Royals from 2021 to 2022, appearing in 266 games over those two seasons. His .249/.304/.357 slash line, resulting in a .661 OPS, wasn’t going to earn him franchise cornerstone status, but he more than compensated with his stellar defense. In 2021, Taylor won both a Gold Glove Award and a Fielding Bible Award as a center fielder, leading all AL center fielders with 11 assists. He also ranked third with 351 outs and a .992 fielding percentage.
Kansas City traded the Florida native following the 2022 season, receiving minor-league pitchers Steven Cruz and Evan Sisk from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for one year of Taylor. Both Cruz and Sisk are performing well in Triple-A Omaha, knocking on the door of a struggling Royals bullpen. While Kansas City continues to search for relief solutions this season, Taylor finds himself somewhat aimless, stuck in limbo and hopeful to land with a new organization that can leverage his talents ahead of the September roster expansion.