On Saturday, the Kansas City Royals announced the acquisition of outfielder Randal Grichuk in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks, as reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan. Grichuk received the news during the fifth inning of the Diamondbacks' game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, marking a significant shift for the player, who had been a part of the Arizona lineup.

The trade comes as no surprise, with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic indicating that Grichuk was 'expected' to be dealt earlier that day. In the exchange, the Diamondbacks received relief pitcher Andrew Hoffman from the Royals, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Grichuk's performance this season has seen him hitting .240 with seven home runs, 15 doubles, and 22 RBIs while holding a .734 OPS. The veteran outfielder concluded a commendable inaugural season with the Diamondbacks in 2024, where he posted an impressive .291/.348/.528 slash line over 106 games.

The Royals are optimistic that Grichuk will enhance their lineup, especially as they have struggled to capitalize on the momentum built during their promising 2024 campaign, which included an American League Division Series appearance. Currently, Kansas City holds a record of 51-53 and finds itself 3.5 games behind the final American League wild card position. The team has faced offensive challenges throughout the season, ranking 25th in Major League Baseball with a .680 OPS and managing to score only 370 runs in 2025—the fewest among American League teams. Arizona, meanwhile, appears poised to part with some veteran contributors ahead of Thursday's trade deadline, having already traded first baseman Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners. In relation to the trade, the Diamondbacks acquired Hoffman, who has made three appearances for the Royals this season but primarily played with the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers. The 25-year-old pitcher recorded five strikeouts while allowing two earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched during his 2025 campaign.