Astros Named Best Fit for Royals Ace Ahead of MLB Trade Deadline

The Houston Astros have been able to hold a lead in the American League West for much of the season, but injuries are starting to pile up and their rivals are improving.

With the trade deadline around the corner, things are starting to pick up with some notable moves starting to happen.

The Seattle Mariners were the first team in the division to make a significant upgrade with the addition of Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks, which puts pressure on the Astros to improve their own roster before July 31 passes.

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Houston doesn't have a ton of glaring needs, but they do have some areas they can improve.

With injuries piling up both in the batting order and the starting rotation, adding some talent in those areas makes sense.

With that in mind, Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan of ESPN listed the Astros among teams being the best fit for Kansas City Royals starter Seth Lugo, who could be moved this year so they can get as much value as possible before he hits the open market.

Even though there might be some concerns about underlying metrics indicating regression could be coming, the veteran right-hander has been extremely good for the Royals.

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In 2024, Lugo was runner-up in the AL Cy Young Award voting, totaling a 16-9 record and 3.00 ERA. He has followed that up with another great year so far, with a 2.95 ERA to his name.

Lugo would be a great fit for Houston.

With Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez leading the rotation, the team doesn’t need to acquire an ace. But they do need a middle-of-the-rotation pitcher capable of starting a playoff game.

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The veteran right-hander fits that description, and even though he has a player option for 2026, he will likely turn decline it to become a free agent, making him just a rental. Because of that, the cost to acquire him shouldn’t be too high.

The Astros have to think about adding some help for their pitching staff, and Lugo would be a great addition who would help solidify the rotation.

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