Royals open to trading a starting pitcher, says GM

After missing out on the playoffs in 2025, the Kansas City Royals are exploring all avenues towards improving their roster. One option would be trading from their wealth of starting pitching.

The Royals finished the 2025 campaign ranked sixth in ERA with a mark of 3.73. That’s going to get teams calling asking about available assets. General manager JJ Picollo welcomes those calls, as he is prepared to consider all trades, via Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.

“Our starting pitching, we have some depth there,” Picollo said. “A lot of teams are looking for starting pitching, so if we have what they may be interested in, and they have an outfielder that would be of interest, then there’s potentially the opportunity to make a deal.”

Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo would both draw interest based on their veteran pedigree and recent results. Kris Bubic has been impressive over his last two years, drawing plenty of eyeballs as well. But if the Royals want the biggest haul possible, they’d trade away Cole Ragans.

Injuries held the left-hander to just three starts in 2025. However, he was an All-Star in 2024 after posting a 3.14 ERA and a 223/67 K/BB ratio. Under team control through the 2029 season, Ragans will be a top trade target for many teams around the league.

If/when they decide to swing a deal, Kansas City must target offense. They ended the 2025 season ranked 26th in runs scored with 651. Holding an arsenal of intriguing trade pieces, the Royals should have the firepower to massively bolster their lineup should they choose.