Royals, Blue Jays ‘making progress’ on Francisco Liriano trade

The Royals and Blue Jays are “making progress” on a deal that would send Francisco Liriano to Kansas City, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi.

Liriano has drawn interest from multiple teams, including the Twins and Astros, according to a major-league source, with Robert Murray of FanRag Sports also adding the Cubs and Dodgers into the mix. Kansas City appears to have emerged as a favorite, with the clubs reportedly gaining momentum toward a deal Thursday.

If a deal is complete, the Jays could re-acquire righty Glenn Sparkman, a Rule 5 pick who they recently sent back to Kansas City. It’s unknown if Sparkman has been discussed between the two clubs.

Liriano, 33, has struggled to a 5.99 ERA in 17 starts for Toronto this season and is one of the Jays’ prime trade candidates, along with Marco Estrada, Joe Smith and Jose Bautista. He is a free agent after the year, meaning he’s purely a rental for a club in need.

Kansas City already struck a deal for three pitchers this week, netting starter Trevor Cahill and relievers Brandon Maurer and Ryan Buchter from the Padres on Monday. Liriano would likely serve as a bullpen option for Kansas City if a deal gets done.