Blue Jays Predicted To Acquire Royals Star With 2.93 ERA At Trade Deadline

The Kansas City Royals wish they could have a do-over on June.

Entering play on Jun. 1, the Royals were three games over .500 and right in the mix for a Wild Card spot. They've gone 7-15 this month, including a current five-game losing streak, and now sit 3 1/2 games out of a playoff spot.

With a month to go before the trade deadline, things are starting to get hairy. The Royals will soon have to make some tough calls on whether or not to continue their quest for the postseason or start planning for 2026.

If it's the latter, starting pitcher Seth Lugo probably has to go. The 2024 All-Star has a 2.93 ERA in 14 starts this year, making him almost a lock to opt out of the third year of his contract and pursue a bigger deal heading into his age-36 season.

On Friday, Sports Illustrated's Nick Selbe had a prediction: Lugo would be traded to the Toronto Blue Jays ahead of the Jul. 31 deadline.

"Lugo doesn’t strike out a ton of hitters, but he hasn’t posted an ERA above 3.60 since 2020 and quietly finished second in AL Cy Young voting last year while winning a Gold Glove to boot," Selbe wrote.

"The 35-year-old also fared well in two playoff starts last season. The converted reliever would improve just about any postseason rotation and the Royals may feel obliged to deal Lugo ahead of his looming free agency if MLB’s lowest-scoring offense doesn’t perk up in the coming weeks. Prediction: Traded to Blue Jays."

The Blue Jays are 43-37 and currently hold the second Wild Card spot in the American League. That only puts them 5 1/2 games ahead of the Royals, but the difference in vibes is astounding. Toronto also definitely needs more pitching to make a playoff push.

Lugo might be the best starting pitcher traded if he goes. It would be a painful, painful thing for the Royals front office to do, but sometimes the moves that hurt the most in the moment are the moves that lead to the greatest successes in the future.

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