Hunter Harvey Trade Update: KC Royals acquire Nationals reliever in exchange for 3B prospect Cayden Wallace and 39th pick in the 2024 MLB Draft

The Kansas City Royals have made their first move of the 2024 MLB trade deadline after bringing in relief pitcher Hunter Harvey from the Washington Nationals. In return, the Royals have offered third-base prospect Cayden Wallace and a competitive balance pick to the Nationals for the upcoming draft. They have also cut Nick Anderson from the 40-man roster to make room for their new signing.

The Royals needed to improve their bullpen, which ranks 22nd in ERA and 29th in strikeout rate, as they continue to hunt for a playoff spot. They hope Hunter Harvey will address these issues, as he has had over 150 ERA+ in the past two seasons while averaging over 10 strikeouts per nine innings.

However, 2024 has been a down year for Hunter Harvey compared to the previous two, although he has featured in 43 games, which is the sixth highest among relievers.

Before getting traded, he had a 2-4 record with a 4.20 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 45 innings. Harvey has struck out 26.8% of the batters this season, so the Royals will use him in high-leverage situations.

Meanwhile, the Nationals have acquired 22-year-old Cayden Wallace, who was the No. 2 prospect in the Royals franchise, according to the MLB pipeline.

Wallace is currently at the Double-A level and has hit .282/.350/.427 with three home runs in 34 games this season. He's expected to develop into a power-hitting everyday third baseman in the future.

By trading Hunter Harvey, the Nationals also received the 39th overall pick from the Royals in the Competitive Balance A round of the 2024 MLB Draft.

Competitive balance picks are extra draft picks that are handed to teams with the smallest revenue and are the only draft picks that can be traded. Therefore, Washington will now have three picks in the top-44 of this year's draft.

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Hunter Harvey could push Kansas City Royals into the postseason

Hunter Harvey could potentially make the difference for Kansas City Royals in reaching the playoffs (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

The Kansas City Royals were not expected to be a playoff contender in 2024 but have proven to be the surprise package of the season.

Right now, they occupy third place in a highly competitive division in the American League Central with a 52-44 record. Nevertheless, they are only one game behind the Boston Red Sox for the last wildcard berth.

The subpar performance from the bullpen has been a major drawback for the Royals in their hopes of reaching the playoffs. So, the addition of Harvey could make a big difference to their pitching depth if he's able to perform close to his potential.