Emilio Bonafacio Acquired By Kansas City Royals

Versatile Emilio Bonifacio has been traded to the Kansas City Royals from the Toronto Blue Jays. He was acquired from the Miami Marlins in the deal that sent Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson, and Jose Reyes in the offseason blockbuster between the two teams. The Blue Jays are receiving a player to be named later, or cash considerations.

Bonifacio, an IF/OF, should see most of his time at second base for Kansas City, as he has played 59 of his 94 games at the spot. The 28 year old Bonifacio will join a Royals team that includes Chris Getz and Jamey Carroll (recently aquired from Twins) at second base. He could also help out in center field.

Bonifacio has a three slash line of .218/.258/.321 and has an OPS of .579. His WAR is 0 this season and has never been higher than 2.7 in 2011, when he hit .296/.360/.393 and has an OPS of .753. He also has 3 home runs and 20 RBI this season.

Opinion:

This is truly a depth move for the Royals, since Bonifacio can play many positions on the diamond. If his hitting improves, he could be a nice flyer that was acquired in a under-the-radar move.

Depth, especially in the infield, is very important for a team that wants to contend down the stretch. The Royals, who want to make a run, made a very nice move here, and if Bonifacio performs well, the move could look even nicer for the club. I like the deal here.