Astros Could Nab All-Star Pitcher From Royals In Deadline Blockbuster

The idea that the Kansas City Royals could sell at the trade deadline will be put to the test over the next week or so.

Kansas City sits at 46-48 entering play on Friday, putting them only four games out of playoff position in the American League. They don't necessarily deserve to be in the Wild Card hunt, but they still are, even if Fangraphs gives them only a 15.2 percent chance at the postseason.

Yet as much as the Royals probably want to buy, a couple of bad series could prevent them from doing so. And if they can't justify buying, one can make the case that they should also trade veteran starter Seth Lugo.

Lugo, who can opt out of a $15 million salary for next season and hit the open market this winter, would probably be the best starter traded if the Royals decided to pull the plug.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly suggested that Lugo could be a perfect fit at the Jul. 31 deadline for the first-place Houston Astros.

"Even if Seth Lugo is likely to opt out of the final year of his three-year, $45 million deal after the season, last year's AL Cy Young Award runner-up is too good of a fit for the Astros to pass up," Kelly wrote.

"(Royals) General manager J.J. Picollo needs to get enough that it doesn't make more sense for the Royals to hold onto Lugo and give him a qualifying offer in the winter. RHP Ethan Pecko—the No. 7 prospect in Houston's system, who is 22 and at Double-A—might be a piece that would make sense to go back to Kansas City."

Lugo has pitched to a 2.67 ERA in 17 starts this season, though it's accompanied by a 4.28 FIP. He's been everything the Royals could have asked for when they signed him before the 2024 season, yet he's not worth keeping around if Kansas City is going to miss the playoffs comfortably.

So it's down to the next few weeks, and whether or not the Royals feel they can justify the long-term implications of keeping their roster together and potentially even adding to it.

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