Royals Acquire Emilio Bonifacio: Why This Move Could Get KC Back on a Hot Streak

The Associated Press via ESPN announced on Wednesday that the Kansas City Royals have acquired utility infielder Emilio Bonifacio from the Toronto Blue Jays for cash or a player to be named later.

The Royals dealt for him to provide depth to a roster that is struggling with injuries, including ones to Miguel Tejada and Mike Moustakas. 

This comes at a great time, as the Royals are heading into a five-game, four-day series against the Detroit Tigers, the AL Central division leaders. With so many important games coming up for Kansas City—a team that now finds itself in the playoff hunt—depth is important. 

Bonifacio is struggling this season, hitting just .218 with three homers and 20 RBI in 94 games. But his ability to play nearly every position in the field besides catcher provides tons of depth, and that's crucial for a team looking to make a late-season run. 

Currently, the Royals are dealing with a litany of injuries. They moved Tejada to the 60-day disabled list—ending his season—to make room on the 40-man roster for Bonifacio. The Royals also have Moustakas listed as day-to-day with a strained left calf and center fielder Lorenzo Cain on the 15-day DL with a strained left oblique.

And despite Bonifacio's struggles this year, he has hit .261 for his career, and perhaps a change of scenery will do him some good. 

According to Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star, Royals general manager Dayton Moore is excited about adding Bonifacio to the squad. 

"

He brings versatility...He’s a player who had a really good year last year (for Miami). This year, he’s struggled a little bit, but he’s played better lately.

We like that he can play all three outfield positions. He can also play second and play third. He’s a switch-hitter with some speed.

"

The Royals are one of the hottest teams in baseball, going 19-7 since the All-Star break. But they've cooled off just a bit, going 6-4 in their last 10 games. And Kansas City just dropped a three-game home series to the lowly Miami Marlins, two games to one. 

But the team has a huge opportunity with the five-game stint in Detroit. If the Royals can win the series—taking four games or even the sweep—they'll not only be sniffing the wild card but also the AL Central lead. 

 

Adding Bonifacio to the team also adds some family ties to the organization. His little brother, Jorge Bonifacio, is one of the club's top outfield prospects. Jorge is currently with Kansas City's Double-A team, Northwest Arkansas.