The Kansas City Royals congratulated Seth Lugo.
The Kansas City Royals are going to have to make some tough decisions as the trade deadline approaches. The team has been a major disappointment this year, entering Monday owning a 32-46 record, and they are running out of time to turn it around. More likely than not, they will sell.
If they do, one of their best trade candidates could be right-hander Seth Lugo. The 36-year-old veteran is on a very team-friendly contract, signed through 2027 on a two-year, $46 million deal with a team option for 2028, making him an attractive target for contenders looking for rotation help. He may not be a frontline option, but given how injuries are so prevalent among starting pitchers, he could still generate meaningful prospects in return.
However, for now Lugo is a Royal, and he is trying to turn things around for a team that gave him the chance to start every day when he joined in 2024. He rewarded their trust by earning an All-Star selection and leading all of MLB with 33 starts that year.
It was not always like that for Lugo. From 2021 to 2022 with the New York Mets, he was strictly a relief pitcher before transitioning to the rotation.
Now in his 11th MLB season, Lugo has reached a big career milestone, officially crossing the 10-year service time mark. "Sending our congratulations to Seth Lugo as he reaches 10 years of Major League service time today!" the Royals wrote on X.
Lugo has had another solid year for Kansas City. Across 15 starts, he has posted a 3.69 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 85 1/3 innings, continuing to generate weak contact and provide length for a bullpen that has struggled all season.
He did have a minor scare earlier in June, getting hit in the head by a comebacker and spending some time on the 7-day injured list, but he has since returned and picked up right where he left off.
Lugo has had a solid career well beyond his time in Kansas City. He spent his first seven seasons in Queens with the Mets and also had a year with the San Diego Padres before landing in Kansas City and reinventing himself as one of the more reliable starters in the American League.
Whether he finishes the season with the Royals or is dealt before the deadline, reaching 10 years of service time is a meaningful achievement.
