Royals Could Trade $30 Million All-Star Pitcher, But Want To Compete In 2026

The Kansas City Royals have had a difficult season to date. Entering play on Wednesday, they are 49-53 and 11 games back in the American League Central.

Their Wild Card hopes are taking a hit too. They are only 4 1/2 games back, but have seven teams in front of them just for the final spot.

This could lead Kansas City to be sellers at the trade deadline. One of the biggest moves that they could make is trading Seth Lugo to a contender, as Buster Olney of ESPN explains.

However, Olney notes that if the Royals do sell, they don't want to eliminate the chance to compete in 2026.

"The Royals have signaled a willingness to trade, but with an eye toward competing again next year -- meaning they aren't willing to part with the core of their pitching staff. Other teams say Kansas City is (unsurprisingly) looking to upgrade its future offense in whatever it does," Olney wrote on Wednesday.

"Right-handed starter Seth Lugo will be the most-watched Royal before the deadline, since he holds a $15 million player option for 2026 "that you'd assume he's going to turn down," said one rival staffer.

The Royals offense has let them down this season. Lugo and the rest of the pitching staff have been a bright spot for the team. But if they want offense for the future, trading the veteran right-hander might not be a bad idea.

It will be interesting to see how the Royals navigate the deadline.

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