One glaring area of need for them in 2027 and beyond is starting pitching. This what makes teams like the Seattle Mariners and their wealth of starting pitching an intriguing potential trade partner - especially with the reported availability of young starter Emerson Hancock. Could Mariners provide any trade solutions for Royals' starting pitching issues? All this makes him a seemingly unwise decision for a small market team looking to get better like the Royals are. Starting pitching could very well be on the table for the Royals at the trade deadline, but perhaps they'll have to look elsewhere.