Royals ready for final spin through MLB trade market. Here is their shopping list
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Royals extended Seth Lugo, removing him from trade talks before deadline.
- Kansas City seeks offensive depth and pitching help amid key injuries.
- GM J.J. Picollo likely targets low-cost roster upgrades over marquee trade deals.
The Kansas City Royals will take one final spin around the MLB trade market before Thursday’s deadline at 5 p.m. Central Time.
And they will be shopping for offensive help and possibly some pitching depth.
Royals general manager J.J. Picollo won’t have his biggest trade chip available for some of the apparent top options still out there. A big reason for that? The club just extended All-Star pitcher Seth Lugo with a new two-year contract.
Lugo, who was the subject of trade rumors this month, agreed to a $46 million extension that also includes a vesting option for 2028. The new deal wiped out a looming player option and keeps Lugo in Kansas City for the long haul.
“After being here for a year and a half, me and my family have fallen in love with the city,” Lugo said earlier this week. “Kansas City is such a pretty place and has treated us so well.”
With Lugo remaining in the fold, the Royals will look to cross another item off their trade deadline to-do list. Picollo has already struck separate deals to acquire infielder Adam Frazier and outfielder Randal Grichuk.
“When you think about the trade deadline, you just never know what it represents for you,” Picollo said of extending Lugo. “But I do feel very confident that we would not have found somebody that has a couple of years of control, that was a runner-up Cy Young Award winner, All-Star and Gold Glover.
“I don’t think we are finding that in the trade market. So when you think about it that way, that made it a really easy decision for us.”
Picollo still has work to do as the Royals are riddled with injuries. The Royals are down three starting pitchers — Cole Ragans, Michael Lorenzen and Kris Bubic — and are missing outfielders Jac Caglianone and Mark Canha, among other players.
On Tuesday, the Royals made the tough choice to designate 45-year-old pitcher Rich Hill for assignment. The club needed a fresh bullpen arm and their options were few. Hill made two starts with the Royals, who were his 14th MLB team.
“That’s what drove us to do it,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “I mean, the bullpen guys have been used heavily and you’ve got to take care of those guys. We are going to need them for the next two months to pitch a lot of big innings. And when guys aren’t going to be available, you have to be realistic.”
The Royals pitched a bullpen game against the Atlanta Braves Wednesday. Now they embark on a nine-game road trip that could test their pitching depth. They haven’t named a starter for Saturday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
It’s possible the Royals will add a starting pitcher before Thursday’s deadline. The trade market is somewhat top-heavy, with notable targets that include Dylan Cease (San Diego Padres), Merrill Kelly (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Mitch Keller (Pittsburgh Pirates). All are rumored to be available for the right price.
Don’t expect the Royals to get involved in those trade discussions, though. It’s more likely that Picollo looks to add a back-of-the-rotation starter or possibly a versatile reliever to cover innings until either Lorenzen or Ragans is healthy enough to return.
Keep in mind that former AL Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel is currently pitching for Triple-A Omaha. The Royals could promote him for a spot-start, if needed. And Royals right-hander Kyle Wright is still working his way back to the big leagues.
Expect the Royals to focus their attention on the margins. Picollo is a firm believer in improving the active roster with low-cost, high-impact additions. The Royals found key contributors in recent years utilizing that strategy.
For example, KC got third baseman Paul DeJong at the trade deadline last season. They also filled their position-player needs with such veterans as Tommy Pham, Robbie Grossman and Yuli Gurriel after the deadline in August.
The trio signed as free agents and were contributors in the 2024 playoffs. The Royals could peruse the trade market and earmark guys for future consideration down the line (if they are designated for assignment or released).
As it stands, the Royals are content with their roster. If the right deal doesn’t materialize, Picollo is fine with the current iteration of the club. The Royals can stay the course and await the return of their injured players.
Infielder Michael Massey is currently on a rehab assignment in Triple-A Omaha. He is playing his way back after a left-ankle sprain. Meanwhile, left-handed reliever Daniel Lynch IV will get game action during his own rehab stint this week.
“What we’re not going to do is make poor decisions,” Picollo said. “You know, we’re not going to try to make something happen that’s a bad decision for the organization in this moment or in the future.”
The Royals weren’t sellers this season. Picollo addressed specific needs and worked to secure the right pieces for the long-term future of the organization. Now, the Royals are set up to make a second-half surge and the onus is on the players to make it happen.
“It’s not common for small-market teams to make moves like that,” Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino said. “To extend guys when they could’ve easily been traded and got some prospects (back), they didn’t (do that). And that fires up the locker room. So thank you to Mr. (John) Sherman for doing that. I mean, it’s awesome.”
This story was originally published July 31, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Royals ready for final spin through MLB trade market. Here is their shopping list."
