Royals acquire former first-rounder Brian Goodwin from Nationals

It will be weeks before the Royals’ outfield begins to resemble what the club hoped it would be when players convened in spring training five months ago.

Outfielder Jorge Soler, who fractured his left first metatarsal in mid-June, is still in a cast. Although he expects to have his crutches taken away when he’s re-evaluated on Friday, he is still weeks away from baseball activities.

“I was frustrated at the beginning, but I just want to make sure I’m healed,” he said in Spanish on Sunday morning at Kauffman Stadium.

To help bridge the gap until his return, the Royals on Sunday traded minor-league pitcher Jacob Condra-Bogan to the Washington Nationals for outfielder Brian Goodwin. Goodwin will join the team’s major-league roster.

Goodwin, 27, posted an on-base-plus-slugging percentage of .811 in 74 games for the Nationals last year. Relegated to a secondary role this year, Goodwin has batted .200 with one double and three home runs in 48 games. He missed more than a month of the season after bruising his wrist diving for a ball in the outfield in mid-April. Since his return on June 1, he has batted 7 for 39.

Still, Goodwin presents some upside. He’s played all three outfield positions since debuting in 2016 with the Nationals, who selected him in the first round of the 2011 draft out of Miami-Dade College. Baseball America’s scouts touted his arm strength as one of his best tools as he worked his way slowly through the Nationals’ farm system, where he batted .253 in 565 games.

Goodwin, who played one season at North Carolina before a suspension for violating university policy prompted him to transfer for his sophomore season, has also always been known for his athleticism and patient approach at the plate.

Goodwin’s acquisition continues the Royals’ season-long outfield experiment. Since trading Jon Jay in June, they’ve claimed Rosell Herrera off waivers from the Reds, reinstated Jorge Bonifacio from the restricted list and designated Abraham Almonte for assignment. Including infielders Whit Merrifield and Alcides Escobar, the Royals have started 10 players in the outfield this season.

For a time, it seemed Bubba Starling might join those ranks when rosters expand in September. But his latest injury — he dislocated his finger last week, sidelining him for at least a month — might further delay his major-league debut.

A left-handed hitter, Goodwin has hit 26 doubles, two triples and 16 homers over 144 major-league games. Goodwin will not be arbitration-eligible until 2020 and is under club control through 2022.

This story was originally published July 22, 2018 at 12:32 PM.