MLB Insiders Reportedly Think Royals Aren't 'Motivated' to Make Seth Lugo Trade

"Rival evaluators" don't believe the Kansas City Royals are "especially motivated" to trade starting pitcher Seth Lugo, per ESPN's Buster Olney.

The 35-year-old Lugo is having a fantastic season, going 7-5 with a 2.95 ERA (1.09 WHIP) over 19 starts. The 10-year veteran has struck out 99 batters over 113 innings.

Lugo played his first seven seasons with the New York Mets, mainly as a reliever save for the 2017 season. He signed with the San Diego Padres as a free agent for the 2023 season and became a starter. One year later, Lugo inked a two-year deal with the Royals, with a $15 million player option for 2026.

It's worked out great in Kansas City, where Lugo was an All-Star, Gold Glover and an American League Cy Young award runner-up in 2024. He went 16-9 with a 3.00 ERA (1.09 WHIP) and 181 strikeouts in 206 innings over 33 starts.

Lugo's been an anchor for a Royals team that sports the second-best ERA in baseball (3.50). However, Kansas City faces a massive uphill battle to make the playoffs. At 50-53, the Royals are four-and-a-half games back of the Boston Red Sox for the third and final AL Wild Card spot. Three teams (the Tampa Bay Rays, Texas Rangers and Cleveland Guardians) sit between the two squads.

So, in theory, the Royals could look to trade Lugo at the deadline to avoid potentially losing him for nothing in free agency this winter. However, the Royals' playoff chances haven't evaporated just yet, and having Lugo would certainly help last year's AL Central champions make the postseason.

At this point, it seems like Lugo is sticking around past the deadline. In the meantime, the Royals hope to keep positive momentum going after winning two of three on the road at the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs. The Guardians are up next, and they'll visit Kansas City for three games beginning Friday.