With a 2-1 record fresh out of the All-Star break, the Kansas City Royals captured their first series win in over two weeks. It brings their overall record to 40-60, a far cry from preseason expectations, but at least no longer the worst record in baseball, for now.
The Aug. 3 trade deadline is getting closer and to the point where talks are starting to heat up. But according to ESPN's Jeff Passan, this year's MLB midseason movement projects to be a quiet one.
“It's got a chance to make Aug. 3 a complete dud," Passan wrote. "Is that going to happen? Probably not, but it's more of a possibility than it's been in recent weeks. Should the standings remain flat, teams will have a difficult time lining up their options.”
With how close the Wild Card race stands in both the American and National leagues, teams are wary to make any kind of big swing that could cause a ripple effect for the worse. It's hard to know exactly what the Royals brass is thinking at this time, as some fans want them to commit to the star youth they have and go all in on a new era. Others want to wait it out and begin to tinker and plan for next season.
Passan also provided a short update on KC's plans at the deadline. “Kansas City intends to hold on to Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo," he wrote. Short but sweet, and depending on what side of the coin your fandom falls into, you're either elated or dismissive of the fact that the Royals plan to hold onto two aging pitchers in their mid-thirties.
ESPN's Jeff Passan provided an update on what the Royals brass is thinking ahead of the MLB trade deadline
There is certainly a case to be had for keeping both Lugo, 36, and Wacha, 35, around at least through this season and potentially going into 2027. Both are under team control for the next couple of years, signing extensions in 2025, and 2024 respectively.
Lugo is only two seasons removed from coming second in the voting for the Cy Young award, and has dealt with injuries all season that have denied him from getting into any kind of consistent rhythm. His 4.39 ERA across 110.2 innings pitched, along with an over 1.4 WHIP on just 89 strikeouts, are fine numbers, but by his standards and what fans know his peak can be is somewhat disappointing.
Wacha, on the other hand, was selected to his second career All-Star game and has been the only stable level of production on the mound this year for manager Matt Quatraro. His 3.77 ERA across nearly 120 innings and a 1.19 WHIP are really solid numbers. They point to a now three-year stint in KC where he has both stayed healthy and played on an All-Star type level throughout.
Everybody knows how trades work on a basic level. Sell high, buy low. In Wacha's case, the Royals could very much sell high on the right-hander and get a fine return. Lugo, nearly two years older and seemingly an increasing injury risk, would be a tougher task. Either way, it seems general manager J.J. Picollo is set on keeping both veterans for the long haul or until the wheels fall off.
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