The veteran right-hander finished the 2026 season with a 5.17 ERA and turns 37 in November.
Seth Lugo didn't have the year he hoped for with the Kansas City Royals since signing a two-year extension with the franchise last summer, compiling a 5.17 ERA and 1.47 WHIP despite striking out 134 batters in 172.1 innings pitched this season.
With that, the question arises. Should Kansas City be concerned about their starting right-hander?
Seth Lugo ended his final start of the season on a whimper, giving up seven hits and four earned runs through just 3.1 innings of work against the division rival Chicago White Sox on Sept. 23.
The last time he recorded an ERA above 5.00 was his 2020 season with the New York Mets where he spent the first seven seasons of his major-league career. Given that Lugo turns 37 in November, it is possible that Father Time continues to catch up and his numbers this season may be what he puts up going forward.
However, Lugo still showed flashes of his dominant self earlier last month against the Boston Red Sox, striking out seven batters while only allowing two earned runs across five innings to propel Kansas City to a 3-2 victory.
He would also record his fifth win of the season in August versus the Chicago Cubs, fanning five batters in six innings of work to hand the Royals a 6-3 win.
With that, the Royals will also have to consider giving some leeway to Lugo as their rotation outside of Michael Wacha and 27-year-old standout Noah Cameron has not been very consistent.
Daniel Lynch IV and Randy Dobnak, two of the team's other frontline starters, have been on and off with Dobnak's ERA inflating to 3.51 after initially recording a sub-2.00 ERA when he joined the Royals mid-season in June. Lynch recorded a 6.53 ERA in 10 starts this year.
As a result, Lugo could be worth holding onto to maintain depth as Luinder Avila and Cole Ragans recover on the injured list from season-ending Tommy John surgeries.
Even then, Kansas City may have to lower their expectations of the aging Lugo with his four-seam fastball topping at around 92 mph, a speed that hitters have easily punished whenever his command faltered.
As Lugo's contract runs through 2028 with a club or vesting option, the Royals will soon have a decision to make and it's one they shouldn't take lightly due to a combination of Lugo's past performance and the likelihood of his struggles continuing.
