Joaquin Benoit opened the free agent market by signing a three-year, $16.5 million deal with the Tigers and various other relievers are reportedly shopping for three-year contracts as well, so Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star reports that the Royals “are now open to trading” Robinson Tejeda.
Dutton notes that general manager Dayton Moore has been open to trading setup men in the past, parting with Ramon Ramirez and Leo Nunez two offseasons ago, and is willing to deal Tejeda now because his value will never be higher given the market for relievers.
After years of splitting time between the rotation and bullpen Tejeda was a full-time reliever for the first time this season, posting a 3.54 ERA and 56/26 K/BB ratio in 61 innings. He has a 4.16 ERA and 160 strikeouts in 167 career innings as a reliever, has always possessed top-notch raw stuff with a hard fastball-slider combo and a quality changeup, and figures to make around $2 million in 2011 via arbitration.