Royals trade Scott Barlow to the Padres, Ryan Yarbrough to the Dodgers

The Royals have traded reliever Scott Barlow to the San Diego Padres just ahead of today’s trade deadline, according to ESPN reporter Jeff Passan. In return, the Royals receive pitcher Henry Williams, a right-handed pitcher ranked #10 in the Padres farm system by MLB Pipeline, and pitcher Jesus Rios.

They have also traded left-handed starting pitcher Ryan Yarbrough to the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand. In return they receive infielders Derlin Figueroa and Devin Mann.

Williams was a third-round pick by the Padres out of Duke in 2022, but missed the entire season following Tommy John surgery. He made his debut this year in low-A ball at the age of 21 and has made 12 starts with a 5.74 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 42 ¹⁄₃ innings. The Connecticut native stands at 6’5’’ and had a velocity bump in his last year at Duke before the surgery up to 94 mph, although he has been down a tick since then. Here’s how MLB Pipeline describes his secondary pitches:

His low-80s slider could get a healthy amount of swing-and-miss as it dove down and away from right-handed batters. A mid-80s changeup also flashed above-average potential but could sit a little too close for comfort to his fastball velo at times.

The Royals have assigned him to Low-A Columbia.

Jesus Rios is a 21-year old right-hander out of Mexico. He was pitching in the Dominican Summer League where he had a 6.38 ERA with 13 strikeouts and 10 walks in 18 ¹⁄₃ innings.

Devin Mann was a fifth round pick out of Louisville in 2018 and can play all over the infield and outfield. The right-handed bat has shown a healthy walk rate throughout his career, and is hitting .307/.405/.541 with 14 home runs and 50 walks in 89 games as a 26-year-old in Triple-A this year. Mann has been assigned to Triple-A Omaha.

Derlin Figueroa is a left-handed hitting infielder and outfielder signed out of the Dominican Republic. The 19-year-old has been playing for the Dodgers team in the Arizona Complex League hitting .237/.372/.376 with three home runs, five stolen bases, and 19 walks in 113 plate appearances.

The Royals originally acquired Barlow as a minor league free agent from the Dodgers after the 2017 season. The Royals moved him to the bullpen and he became their best reliever. In six seasons with the Royals he appeared in 277 games with a 3.39 ERA and 56 saves with 10.7 strikeouts-per-nine innings. Over that time he was the 15th-most valuable reliever in baseball, by fWAR. Barlow is under club control through the 2024 season and was earning $5.3 million this season.

Yarbrough signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Royals after spending the first five seasons of his career with the Rays. He struggled initially, but has pitched brilliantly in four starts since recovering from an injury when he was struck in the face by a line drive. Since coming off the Injured List he has a 2.19 ERA with just two walks in 24 ²⁄₃ innings. The Dodgers have been decimated by injuries to their rotation, with Clayton Kershaw, Walker Buehler, and Dustin May all on the Injured List.