This is a series that looks back at their trade history with each team in baseball. So far, we have looked back at trades with the Braves, Cubs, Diamondbacks, Orioles, White Sox, Angels, Marlins, Brewers , Rockies, Red Sox, and Guardians. Today we look at the history of deals with the Astros.
Total number of Royals/Astros trades: 14
The Royals actually engineered two trades with the Astros before they had ever played a game. The Royals purchased pitcher Chris Zachary from them, and he later appeared in eight games in Kansas City. The other trade is a bit odd. There was a kid named Johnny Jones who was a catcher selected #5 overall in the 1967 draft by the Senators. For two years he barely played and hit under the Mendoza Line, but somehow the Royals acquired him. Before he ever played a minor league game for them, they traded him to the Astros for three players, including future big league catcher Buck Martinez.
Later on, the Royals would send World Series hero Buddy Biancalana to Houston for pitcher Mel Stottlemyre Jr. More recently, they sent hard-throwing reliever Dylan Coleman to the Astros for prospect Carlos Mateo.
Best trade: The Royals traded Lance Clemons and Jim York to the Astros for John Mayberry and David Grangaard on December 2, 1971
The 1971 Royals won 85 games, most in club history, and GM Cedric Tallis knew his team wasn’t far from contention. He went into the Winter Meetings looking to add a power-hitter, but couldn’t pull the trigger on deals for aging veterans like Frank Howard of the Senators or Orlando Cepeda of the Braves.
The Astros made a blockbuster deal to acquire Reds first baseman Lee May for future Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan, but that blocked a promising young first baseman named John Mayberry. Houston loved Mayberry’s power, but didn’t like that he was such a low-contact hitter. The Royals parted with York, one of their best young relievers, and an outfielder-converted-to-pitcher named Lance Clemons.
Mayberry became the first 100 RBI hitter in club history, and he led the 1972 Royals in home runs (25), walks (78), on-base percentage (.394), and slugging percentage (.507). He would become a two-time All-Star, finished second in MVP voting in 1975, and was the starting first baseman for two division-winning teams. He hit 143 home runs in six seasons for the Royals and was voted into the team Hall of Fame in 1996.
