Will Royals Trade A Starting Pitcher? MLB Insiders Reveal Latest Intel

Every time we expect the 2025 Kansas City Royals to zig, they zag.

From week to week, we can call this Royals team a disappointment or an overachiever. Last week, they lost six games in a row to fall to 34-38. So far this week, they've won three straight to creep within 1 1/2 games of a Wild Card spot.

One thing that's abundantly clear, though, is that the offense is way below league average. And because the Royals have an excellent starting rotation at full strength, a prevailing thought is that Kansas City could swap a major league starter for a major league bat at the trade deadline.

From the sounds of things, though, Kansas City appears to have some hesitation.

On Friday, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that the Royals are currently "reluctant" to trade a starting pitcher, which they did in November, in part because ace Cole Ragans' injury has left them a bit short-staffed.

"While (the Royals) are only 1 1/2 games back in the race for the final AL wild-card spot, they’re wasting a rotation that entered Thursday ranked fourth in ERA," the authors wrote. "So it’s reasonable to ask, would they trade a starting pitcher to get the slugging outfielder they need?

"At the moment, with left-hander Cole Ragans out until at least July with a rotator cuff strain, the question is premature. And even if Ragans returns by the deadline, any trade of a starter would risk compromising the Royals’ biggest strength – a rotation that, like all rotations, is inherently fragile."

The current rotation sans Ragans is Seth Lugo, Kris Bubic, Michael Wacha, Michael Lorenzen, and Noah Cameron. Lugo has an opt-out after the season, and Lorenzen has a $12 million mutual option that the Royals seem likely to decline.

The offense wasn't great in Texas, where the Royals earned a sweep earlier this week. But it was adequate, and a few more weeks of that should be enough to keep the starters in place.

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