MLB

How Royals’ magical roster nearly got a July shakeup

The Royals signed Alex Rios recently to a one-year, $11 million contract. But they actually first worked out a deal for him last July.

At that time, Texas and Kansas City agreed to a trade that would send him from the injury-plagued, struggling Rangers to the contending Royals. However, Rios asked that Kansas City pick up his $13.5 million option for 2015. The Royals did not and Rios invoked his no-trade rights to scuttle the deal, two sources familiar with the trade told The Post.

That might have sent out red flags to many, because Rios is now the active leader in games played without reaching the postseason and he was turning down a chance to get into a pennant race when there already was a strong likelihood the Rangers would not pick up his 2015 option either. Nevertheless — after Texas indeed did not pick up his option — Kansas City still signed him.

The Royals like Rios’ chance for a rebound from a poor 2014. He fits the athletic profile they prefer in their outfielders and see him having a chance to be a doubles machine in their big park. In fact, the defending AL champs have done a lot of renovation of their roster, believing core players such as Yordano Ventura, Lorenzo Cain and Eric Hosmer are about to soar to even higher levels and new additions Rios, Kendrys Morales, Luke Hochevar and Kris Medlen are going to perform like they did during their outstanding 2013 seasons.

Morales was even worse last year than Rios was, while Hochevar and Medlen missed all of 2014 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Medlen might not be a factor for Kansas City until the second half of 2015.

Execs: $10M steep if Stephen Drew’s washed up

Like Morales, Stephen Drew had a disjointed and poor 2014 season after he held out to sign until he was cleared of having draft pick compensation tied to him.

Stephen DrewCharles Wenzelberg

Drew has several teams interested in him as a primary second baseman (a position he had not played until traded last July to the Yankees) and as shortstop insurance. Clubs such as the Blue Jays, A’s, Cubs, White Sox and Angels fall into this category. In theory, the Yankees could, too, though they seem committed to going with Didi Gregorius at short thinking big picture and could worry that having Drew as an easy alternative at second could too quickly undermine such plans.

A few teams involved with Drew say his asking price of $9 million to $10 million for 2015 is not in their price range. Drew’s agent, Scott Boras, has emphasized the career .764 OPS the lefty swinger took into last season as representative of his client and not the .536 he posted in a disjointed 2014 campaign.

But executives from a few of the interested clubs have expressed concern that 2014 was so bad, there has to be worry, with Drew turning 32 in March, that he has entered a steep decline phase. As one said: “Fine, you want to say June and July [last year] were spring training for him, well, how about August or September? There was never a time in which he looked like a major league hitter. The ball didn’t come off his bat well, there was zero consistency. Nothing.”

Wil Myers: Iffy center fielder or trade bait

The Padres’ current plan is to play Wil Myers in center. But there were recent rumors San Diego would consider making him an important piece to try to land Phillies ace Cole Hamels, and an executive from another club said that the Padres would talk about Myers in the right trade. It is a sign San Diego does not trust the defensively suspect Myers to handle center.

Those who have worked with Myers say he is a better defender than he has shown, but he needs constant and strong reinforcement from his manager/coaches about working on that part of his game or else he could become too fixated on his offense.

The comical B.J. Upton Plan B in Atlanta

One reason Myers cannot play a corner outfield spot is San Diego obtained Justin Upton from the Braves. But try as they might, the Braves could not get rid of his brother, B.J. Upton.

Atlanta was willing to eat significant portions of the three years at $46.35 million left on the deal and/or take a bad contract back. But nothing worked, so the Braves are left to paint an optimistic view of the situation — notably that upbeat new hitting coach Kevin Seitzer could work some magic and that Upton is saying all the right stuff about the need for adjustments.

However, Upton has hit just .198 with a .593 OPS the past two years combined. The only player in major league history to get at least 1,000 plate appearances combined and produce equal or worse stats in those two categories was Zoilo Versalles in 1967-68 (.198/.522).

Privately, the Braves are saying they will not tolerate more of the same and keep feeding Upton consistent at-bats. In fact, Upton has fallen so far that Atlanta would consider a Plan B that is a platoon between Yankees castoff Zoilo Almonte and Todd Cunningham, whose eight major league at-bats came in 2013.

If nothing else, Upton has accomplished this — his struggles created a way to get the only two Zoilos ever to play in the majors into the same story.