Royals Should Think Twice About Dealing Starting Pitchers Ahead Of 2026

While the rotation was a strength this year and still has a ton of depth, it could quickly fall apart if one of their starters is traded away. Bubic had his season cut short by a rotator cuff strain, and both Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans made multiple trips to the injured list.

If a starter is traded, say Michael Wacha, the depth takes a hit, especially if Bubic, Lugo and Ragans can’t bounce back from their injuries and stay healthy in 2026. Cameron is also still young, and a sophomore slump might be in store for him now that he has spent a year in the league.

So, what can the Royals do? Well, instead of subtracting from their rotation, they could choose to add a piece or two in free agency. Keep in mind that they’ll be lower-cost options, but could still get the job done.

Michael Lorenzen was brought back for 2025 after being acquired from the Texas Rangers at the 2024 deadline. Perhaps another reunion could make sense.

Also available are arms such as Andrew Heaney, Walker Buehler, and even an arm such as Max Scherzer, who will cost less given his age and 2025 performance. The Royals plan to contend next season, and that could be appealing for a pitcher like Scherzer.

They won’t be in on starters such as Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez or Ranger Suarez. But they don’t need to be. They just need to make sure they have enough depth in their rotation for 2026 before they decide to actually trade a starter away.

Perhaps instead of trading a starter, they could look for lower-cost bats to bolster their lineup, similarly to how they approached this year’s trade deadline.