Royals $30 Million Starter Linked To Possible Deadline Reunion With Mets
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The Kansas City Royals picked up a big series win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday afternoon. However, they remain 50-53 and on the outside looking in.
They are 10 games back in the American League Central and 4 1/2 back in the Wild Card race. As such, they might end up being sellers at this year's trade deadline.
One of the biggest pieces they could trade is starter Seth Lugo. He has a player option for 2026, but is likely to decline it and return to free agency.
Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller outlined every contender's trade deadline blueprint and predicted that the Royals will send Lugo back to the New York Mets, where his career began.
"How about RHP Seth Lugo returning to Queens where he spent the first seven seasons of his career?" Miller wrote.
"The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported on Wednesday morning that the Royals would be willing to trade Lugo (who has a $15M player option for next season that he will almost certainly decline, if healthy at the end of the year) for "controllable outfield help."
The Royals need to find ways to boost their offense, as that has been their main problem in 2025. Thus, if they are looking for controllable pieces, Lugo could become expendable given the success of the Royals starting rotation.
The Royals hope to contend in 2026, and Lugo likely won't be back next year, so it would make sense to find a contender to trade him to. We'll see if the Royals end up sending him elsewhere.
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Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Communication and currently writes as a contributor for various platforms covering Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.
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