The Kansas City Royals are heading toward next week’s trade deadline looking like clear sellers, and the most obvious names on the board are the players nearing free agency.
Outfielder Lane Thomas fits that bill. He could draw interest from clubs searching for a right-handed bat with some pop.
But the bigger conversation in Kansas City centers on a pair of veteran starters who could bring back a meaningful haul for the farm system: Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo.
On Monday, The Athletic’s Andy McCullough projected that the Royals will move both right-handers.
"When Kansas City had a chance to move Lugo at last year’s deadline, the team opted to extend him through 2027. But the past two seasons have been a bust for the franchise, and they need to restock the farm system," McCullough wrote.
Wacha and Lugo have both been steady, dependable arms for the Royals, which is exactly why they could have value now. Kansas City would be smart to cash in while that value is still high.
There’s also the age factor. Lugo is 36, and Wacha just turned 35, and McCullough said the club should move aggressively if it wants to deal them.
"Lugo is 36, and Wacha just turned 35. The team should be aggressive in trying to deal them," McCullough added.
Of course, keeping both pitchers would spare the Royals from having to replace them this offseason. They take the ball every fifth day and continue to produce solid results year after year.
Still, if Kansas City ends up with another season like this one in 2027, passing on a trade now would look like a costly mistake.
In Other News...
Royals Deadline Plans Suddenly Come Down To One Costly Contract
The trade deadline always brings out the same uncomfortable math, and for Kansas City it may be less about adding help than making room for it. Even with the club still well short of the luxury tax line, the Royals could find themselves needing to trim money before they can spend it, a reminder that payroll flexibility can matter just as much as contention when August 3 gets closer.
One name sits at the center of that squeeze: Seth Lugo, whose contract carries real weight for a team trying to keep its options open. At 36, Lugo is owed $21.5 million in 2027 and comes with a conditional club option for 2028, which makes him a far heavier financial commitment than Michael Wacha, the more valuable of the Royals two veteran starters. If Kansas City decides it has to move salary to create maneuverability, Lugo is the contract that could define how far the front office is willing to go. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Injury Shuffle Just Took Another Turn Fans Wont Like
The Royals injury list keeps forcing the club to juggle its roster, and the latest round of movement at least brings a few familiar names back into the conversation. Maikel Garcia is beginning a rehab assignment in Double-A Omaha after the hand issue that has kept him out, while Kyle Isbel is still working his way back in Triple-A Omaha as the organization waits to see more before making any decisions on his activation.
Even with those recoveries underway, Kansas City just lost another arm from the mix, which opened the door for a fresh look in the bullpen. Beck Way has landed on the injured list, and Easton McGee is now getting his first chance to contribute after arriving in a recent trade, a reminder that for this Royals team, one setback often leads straight to another roster shuffle. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Just Made A Familiar Bullpen Bet Fans Know Too Well
The Royals added another arm to a bullpen mix that has long rewarded low-cost bets, sending 2025 10th-round pick Max Martin to Houston for Nate Pearson after the Astros designated him for assignment. Pearson brings the kind of raw stuff teams keep circling back to, with velocity and a still-lingering sense of upside, even as command problems have followed him through stops that have made him more intriguing than dependable.
Kansas City is clearly hoping its pitching group can get more out of Pearson in relief than other clubs have been able to. He already made his Royals debut on July 26, working a scoreless inning with a walk, and the next step is the part that has defined his career for too long: turning the tools into strikes and the strikes into something the Royals can actually count on. [Read more 🡒]