KANSAS CITY, Mo. (July 16, 2020) – The Kansas City Royals announced today that they have acquired right-handed pitcher Ronald Bolaños and outfielder Franchy Cordero from the San Diego Padres for left-handed pitcher Tim Hill.
Cordero, 25, has played in parts of three seasons with the Padres, hitting .240 (59-for-246) with nine doubles, four triples, 10 homers and 36 runs scored in 79 big league games. He was limited to just nine Major League games last season, due to a pair of stints on the Injured List. A left-handed hitter, Cordero was named a Baseball America Triple-A All-Star with El Paso in 2017, setting a Triple-A record with 18 triples, which also tied for the most in the minor leagues during that season. He was limited to just 40 games with San Diego in 2018 due to two stints on the Injured List, but his seven home runs in just 139 at-bats averaged 439 ft., per Statcast, the highest home run distance average in the Majors in 2018 (min. 80 batted balls). He originally signed with the Padres as an international free agent on Nov. 1, 2011.
Bolaños, 23, made his Major League debut last September with the Padres, after splitting a majority of the season between Lake Elsinore (A+) and Amarillo (AA). He was 0-2 with a 5.95 ERA (13 ER in 19.2 IP) in his five appearances (three starts) with San Diego, after posting a 13-7 mark with a 3.66 ERA (53 ER in 130.1 IP) and 142 strikeouts (9.81 K/9) in 23 starts (25 appearances) combined in his minor league stops. His strikeout total ranked second among all San Diego farmhands. Bolaños was originally signed as an international free agent on Aug. 4, 2016.
Hill, 30, made 46 appearances with the Royals in 2019, going 2-0 with a 3.63 ERA (16 ER in 39.2 IP).