Royals Predicted To Cut Ties With 10-Year Veteran Star At Trade Deadline

Decision day is approaching faster and faster for the Kansas City Royals.

With the trade deadline looming on Jul. 31, the Royals have to decide whether to buy, sell, or somewhere in between. They're in the exact kind of awkward middle ground teams dread these days--47-50, 4 1/2 games out of a potential playoff spot.

The Royals' inclination all along has been to buy, and their minor trade acquisition (or more accurately, reacquisition) of Adam Frazier shows that's still on their minds. But a bad two weeks could easily change the calculus.

Ultimately, The Athletic's Zack Meisel believes the Royals will be forced to sell. And specifically, Meisel predicted Friday that these last two weeks will be the end of star pitcher Seth Lugo's tenure in a Royals uniform.

"Lugo was an A+ signing prior to the 2024 season. He finished second in the AL Cy Young Award voting last year and has been effective again this year," Meisel wrote.

"But with the Royals mired in mediocrity, Lugo heading toward his 36th birthday, and a decision looming on whether to exercise a player option for 2026 or become a free agent, the Royals might as well see if they can flip him for a near-ready position player prospect or two. He’d be one of the top starting pitchers available."

Lugo, 35, has had a fantastic Kansas City tenure, posting a 2.90 overall ERA in 50 starts. The 10-year veteran has been one of the most effective examples of a longtime reliever successfully being converted to a starter later in his career.

It would be something of a shame to see that tenure end quietly at a trade deadline. But as the Royals know well from 2023, it can pay fast dividends to trade away your veterans.

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