Royals acquire Ben Zobrist from Athletics for two pitchers

The Kansas City Royals have acquired utility man Ben Zobrist from the Oakland Athletics, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. 

In return for Zobrist, left-hander Sean Manaea and right-hander Aaron Brooks will be headed to Oakland, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN and Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reported. 

Zobrist makes a lot of sense for Kansas City, as he can play multiple positions, being an upgrade in both the outfield and at second base. He adds a good bat to the Royals lineup that could have used another impact player. 

Because of his versatility, Zobrist reportedly received interest from the Mets, Pirates, Yankees, Nationals, and Giants throughout this month, but the Royals emerged as a legitimate candidate over the past few days. 

The 34-year-old Zobrist is a free agent at the end of the season, as his six-year, $30 million deal expires this year. He has hit .268/.354/.447 this season in 271 plate appearances, swatting six homers and driving in 33 RBIs. 

Manaea headlines the Athletics return, as many were surprised the Royals would give him up so easily. According to MLB.com's rankings, he was the 56th-best prospect in the minor leagues. The 2013 first round pick is currently at Double-A. 

--Devan Fink

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