Ryan Howard not going to Royals
Aug 19, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard (6) runs to second after hitting a double during the fourth inning of a game against the Seattle Mariners at Citizens Bank Park. The Mariners won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Forget all the Ryan Howard going to the Kansas City Royals talk.
CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports the Royals and Philadelphia Phillies threw around Howard’s name in some talks, but Kansas City’s main focus at this point in time is pitching.
After falling in the World Series, the Royals declined DH Billy Butler‘s option. There for a bit, Howard seemed like a possible replacement.
Don’t expect the Phillies to give just because the Royals said no. ESPN’s Buster Olney reports the Phillies really want to move Howard.
The continued refrain from evaluators who've had discussions with the Phillies: They're going to move Ryan Howard, no matter what it takes.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 11, 2014
It still appears the club is willing to eat a large portion of Howard’s salary, but either way he is far from the most appealing first baseman/DH up for grabs. Perhaps a deal involving Howard could be made as more free agents move off the market.