The Padres’ slide has turned the trade deadline into a much bigger conversation in San Diego, and one possible answer is a familiar arm: Seth Lugo.
San Diego has dropped nine of its last 10 games, a stretch that has knocked the club from one of the National League’s top teams to a below .500 record. The Padres are now 15 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West and 4.5 games out of the final wild-card spot.
That kind of tumble usually forces a front office to look hard at reinforcements, and the Padres have obvious needs on both sides of the ball. But the pitching side may be where the easiest fix exists, especially with Lugo’s name already floating around in trade chatter.
Lugo, now with the Kansas City Royals, is a pitcher San Diego knows well. He spent the 2023 season with the Padres before moving on to Kansas City in 2024, where he has put together a pair of solid seasons and earned an All-Star nod in 2024. This year, he has made 17 starts and owns a 4.20 ERA.
That number isn’t eye-popping, but Lugo would still give the Padres something they need right now: rotation depth. With injuries piling up, even a steady veteran who can take the ball matters. The price tag is the obvious hurdle, though it may also be what makes him attainable.
Lugo is scheduled to make $21.5 million next year, and he also has a $17 million conditional club option for 2028, plus a $3 million buyout. That kind of contract could make San Diego cautious, but it also means the Royals may not command a massive return in a deal.
That matters for a Padres team that has holes to fill without wanting to empty the farm system. With the new ownership group in place, there’s room to add payroll, but the club may still prefer moves that bring back talent without requiring a major prospect haul. Lugo fits that profile.
The need is real because the rotation has been battered by injuries. Joe Musgrove has been out all season after a setback during spring training in his Tommy John surgery recovery.
Nick Pivetta left his fourth start of the year with a flexor strain and has been working his way back since then. Both are expected to return after the All-Star break, with Pivetta ahead of Musgrove in the recovery process.
San Diego also put Lucas Giolito on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation. Matt Waldron remains sidelined by a right brachialis muscle injury, and Germán Márquez recently returned and joined the bullpen.
The bullpen has taken hits too, with Jason Adam, Jeremiah Estrada and David Morgan all unavailable on the right-handed side.
For a Padres team trying to stop the bleeding, Lugo represents the kind of deadline move that could help steady the staff without forcing a blockbuster.
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