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Seth Lugo paying early dividends for upstart Royals
Going into the 2023 season, Seth Lugo had only 38 career starts, 18 of which came in his second big league season with Mets in 2017. Last season, at the age of 33, the Padres were willing to give him the chance to be a starter and he responded well.
He threw a career-high 146.1 innings in 2023. He'd never thrown more than 101.1 innings in a single season, and he'd done that twice. He had 140 strikeouts and just 36 walks last year, pitching to a solid 3.57 ERA and 1.203 WHIP.
This offseason, the Kansas City Royals were desperate to improve a rotation that hadn't been even decent for years. They signed Lugo for two years, $30 million, plus a player option for the same salary in 2026, according to Spotrac. Along with veteran Michael Wacha, the Royals felt certain they had taken big steps forward with their rotation.
Lugo has been brilliant for Kansas City so far. Through his first four starts, he is tied for first in the majors in innings pitched with 25.2 and eighth in ERA at 1.05. He is one of only two starters (Jose Berrios of Toronto is the other) with a quality start in all four outings.
He has been everything the Royals could have hoped for to this point. He has been instrumental in the Royals having the third best record in the American League nearly three weeks into the season.
He hasn't been overpowering, recording just 13 strikeouts, but he's only allowed six walks, letting the stellar defense behind him do most of the work.
The season is a long one and it was a risk to trust someone like Lugo so much. On one hand, despite being an eight-year veteran, Lugo didn't have a ton of mileage on his arm. On the other hand, will his arm tire the deeper into the season because he is unused to the workload.
Last year, Lugo did not experience any wild swings in performance results from month-to-month. He was rather consistent all season, outside of a dip in May when he suffered from a calf strain, but his numbers held steady through the rest of the season upon his return in late June.
The Royals hope Lugo will mimic that steadfastness throughout the 2024 season and beyond. While they aren't expecting the ERA to remain around 1.00 all season, they will be thrilled if he can finish in the 3.00-3.50 range and continues to be unflappable on the mound.
Regardless of if he pitched in the rotation or from the bullpen, Lugo has always displayed a strong skillset with a career 3.40 ERA and 1.169 WHIP, and he seldom gives up many home runs. He barely exceeds allowing one homer per nine innings so his game should play well in the cavernous Kauffman Stadium.
The marriage between Lugo and the Royals has been a very successful one early in the season. It looks like it might be a strong signing for the Royals and if Lugo pitches well over the next two seasons, and decides to activate his option year in 2026, he might just be a centerpiece in a strong rotation for the next three seasons.
More must-reads:
- Three lesser-known pitchers off to dominant starts to 2024 season
- Patrick Mahomes still wants to accomplish something on baseball field
- The 'Five game-winning-drives in a season' quiz
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Alex Bregman sends message to Cody Bellinger after Yankees report
Both the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees enter 2026 with well-positioned rosters capable of making a run, but each faces the challenge of addressing two high-profile free agents. Outfielder Cody Bellinger and infielder Alex Bregman are both in need of new deals or replacements. Both are represented by agent Scott Boras as they look to secure contracts this offseason. Each is coming off a strong year. Bellinger posted a .272 batting average, a .334 on-base percentage, an .813 OPS, 29 home runs and 98 RBI across 152 games while providing elite defense in the outfield for the Yankees. Bregman, in his 2025 season with Boston, recorded a .273 batting average, .360 on-base percentage, .821 OPS, 18 home runs and 62 RBIs in 114 games. Both Bellinger and Bregman joined their respective teams in 2025, and with free agency now underway, last season could prove to be their only year in pinstripes or with the Red Sox. As Bregman and Bellinger enter the offseason, their focus has shifted toward staying healthy and sharpening their skills for 2026. Neither player is on an active roster, yet both have made it clear they are committed to maintaining peak condition while navigating free agency. In recent weeks, the two stars have been spotted training in Arizona, appearing to work out together or at least at the same facility. Their offseason program has been highlighted by sessions with Nemesis Baseball, a sports performance community that promotes itself on Instagram as “Sports Performance community for those who seek to reach their full potential / Built By Athletes For Athletes.” Bregman and Bellinger recently shared photos of their workouts, giving fans a glimpse into the intensity of their preparation. The posts quickly drew attention, not only for the training itself but also for the interaction between the two free agents. Bregman responded to Bellinger’s post with a simple message, “Dialed .” This interaction comes after a report from Mark Feinsand of MLB.com predicting Bellinger's next team. According to Feinsand, "New York is the clear favorite to sign Bellinger." While the Yankees appear positioned to retain their star outfielder, Bregman’s future is less certain. The Red Sox have expressed interest in bringing him back, but they have not yet been identified as clear front-runners, leaving open the possibility that Boston could lose its veteran infielder after just one season. Over the course of their careers, both players have built impressive track records that place them among the most decorated stars of their era. Bregman has been named to three All-Star teams, won two World Series titles with the Houston Astros, collected a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger and earned All-Star Game MVP honors. Bellinger’s accolades include National League MVP, Rookie of the Year, two All-Star selections, a Gold Glove, two Silver Sluggers and a World Series championship with the Dodgers in 2020. His best years came in Los Angeles, while Bregman’s peak was with the Astros. Both were key figures in the 2017 sign-stealing scandal, yet that chapter appears behind them, as they now train together and show genuine camaraderie.
Andy Reid’s main flaw will cost Chiefs a trip to the playoffs
The Kansas City Chiefs' postseason aspirations suffered a massive blow after losing to the Dallas Cowboys 31-28 on Thursday. The loss dropped the reigning AFC champions to 6-6 on the season, leaving them with virtually no margin for error. The officiating made numerous questionable calls that may have favored Jerry Jones' team. However, the lack of discipline and numerous penalties have been a hallmark of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid's teams for years. Chiefs' lack of discipline will cost them a playoff spot Per OPTA Stats, the Chiefs committed five pass interference penalties in the second half alone, four of them on defense. That's the most PI penalties by any NFL team in the second half of a game in the past 35 years. When asked about it, Reid said they needed to be better in that regard, something he's said at least a dozen times this season. Then, he actually stood by the way his players tried to cover wide receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens: "I'm not always going to agree with the calls, but the calls were made," Reid said, per Charles Goldman. "They've got some big physical receivers, and my guys were fighting. You've got to stay aggressive against those guys. That's the way you do it." Granted, some of the calls were terrible, but this has been a frequent talking point with the Chiefs. Even if he actually agrees with the defensive players' approach to covering those two guys — which clearly didn't work, as they combined for 200 yards and one score — the lack of adjustments and accountability will ultimately doom this team this season.
Jerry Jones claims Jets turned down absurd trade offer involving Micah Parsons, Quinnen Williams
Patrick Mahomes has blunt take on Chiefs' disappointing season
The Kansas City Chiefs couldn't secure the win on Thanksgiving, dropping to 6-6 for the season after a 31-28 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys. All of Kansas City's losses have been by just one possession, and they might not even make the playoffs now. Thursday's loss followed an epic 23-20 overtime comeback win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Every time it looks like the Chiefs will get back on track, they take a couple of steps back. That's why, even though he still believes in this team, quarterback Patrick Mahomes had a pretty blunt way of describing how the season has gone for Kansas City. Patrick Mahomes calls out the Chiefs' inconsistency “Our ceiling is playing in the Super Bowl," Mahomes said, per Marleah Campbell of KCTV. "We can beat anybody, but we’ve shown that we can lose to anybody.” Mahomes was the only bright spot for Andy Reid's team in the loss. He completed 66.7% of his passes for 261 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, and kept extending plays and making things happen behind a banged-up and inefficient offensive line. Kansas City's playoff hopes are alive for now, but it can't afford any mistakes from now on. They will face the Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos at home, and they have road games against the Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans. Of course, facing the best defenses in the game and three divisional rivals is far from ideal, but there won't be a better way to prove that the Chiefs' dynasty is far from over.
Eagles fans loudly booed Nick Sirianni for questionable decision
Philadelphia Eagles fans were fuming at their team after the first half of Friday’s game against the Chicago Bears, and coach Nick Sirianni took a lot of heat for one particular decision. The Eagles offense once again struggled at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. on Friday, scoring just three points against the Bears. The Eagles tallied just two first downs and 83 total yards in the half while running only 17 plays. Sirianni remained conservative right down to the half. The Eagles got the ball back down a touchdown with 2:47 left, and completed a 1-yard pass on the first play of the drive. Sirianni then opted to let the clock run down to the two-minute warning instead of trying to run another play, leading to loud boos. The Eagles did have all three timeouts left, and Sirianni was likely trying to prevent the Bears from getting the ball back before halftime. Given how bad the offense had been up to that point, however, fans did not care one bit. Sirianni’s plan did not work, as the Eagles wound up going three-and-out. Sirianni was angrily yelling on the sideline at that point as the boos got louder. The Eagles were loudly booed off the field at halftime, and they were lucky to only be down a touchdown. The Philadelphia offense has been a source of frustration for much of the season, but things have hit a fever pitch after their collapse against the Dallas Cowboys last week. The Eagles ended up losing, 24-15. The team is 8-4, but if the offense does not turn around, they will have a hard time repeating as Super Bowl champions.
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