Arguably the most sought-after starting pitcher is off the market.
Seth Lugo, who had been the subject of trade rumors since he was potentially on an expiring contract, agreed to a two-year contract worth $46 million with the Kansas City Royals that includes a club option for 2028.
Lugo was deemed the No. 1 available starting pitcher via trade due to his veteran status and the likelihood Kansas City would sell ahead of Thursday’s trade deadline. The Chicago Cubs and Toronto Blue Jays, among others, were linked to Lugo since he is a front-of-the-rotation starter with playoff experience that has been excellent this season.
Why Did The Royals Sign Seth Lugo To A Contract Extension?
The Royals made the playoffs for the first time since they won the World Series in 2015 last year, and despite their 52-54 record — which has them in third place in the American League Central — it appears they are buying at this year’s deadline.
“Keeping Lugo signals that belief,” MLB.com Royals writer Anne Rogers wrote. “The Royals need strong pitching, especially with an offense that has struggled to produce runs this year, but even their additions of veteran hitters Adam Frazier and Randal Grichuk, both of whom are free agents at the end of the year, also suggest the Royals haven’t given up on the idea of making a late run in 2025.”
The Royals acquired Grichuk, a veteran outfielder, from the Arizona Diamondbacks for reliever Andrew Hoffmann over the weekend. They acquired Frazier, who helped the Royals reach the playoffs a season ago, from the Pittsburgh Pirates for blocked-infield-prospect Cam Devanney on July 15.
Yet, locking in Lugo keeps Kansas City’s ace in tact at a time where the Royals’ window to win is apparently open. A year after winning 16 games, Lugo is 7-5 with a 2.95 ERA, the 19th-best mark in the majors.
“It’s hard to overstate how much Lugo means to the Royals both on the field and off the field as a veteran whose quiet-but-steady demeanor carries a ton of weight in the clubhouse,” Rogers wrote. “In his first season with the team last year, he was an All-Star and finished second in American League Cy Young Award voting. Across 52 starts as a Royal in 2024 and ‘25, Lugo has a 2.98 ERA.”
Why Are The Royals Buying?
The fact the Royals are two games under .500 and are buying is an indication of life in the three-wild-card era.
Kansas City is four games out of the final playoff spot and trails three teams — including the Texas Rangers, who are effectively tied with the Seattle Mariners for the third wild-card spot.
Baseball Reference lists the Royals’ chances of making the playoffs at 6 percent.
So whether the Royals should be buying is one debate. But the fact they are is a function of KC’s resurgent play in July. After an 8-18 month of June, where they won just one of 13 home games, the Royals are 13-8 in July and back in the thick of the race.
Plus, the way the teams ahead of them are playing also are indicative of the Royals’ decision. The once-mighty Tigers have lost six games on their division lead after their recent 2-12 stretch. The Tampa Bay Rays are 6-15 in July. The New York Yankees are just 9-12 in July and lost Aaron Judge to the injured list.
Royals lock down potential trade candidate to contract extension