The Kansas City Royals, sitting near the bottom of Major League Baseball, decided *not* to be major sellers at the trade deadline this summer. Yeah, you read that right. While they did move Lane Thomas to the Atlanta Braves and Kris Bubic to the Los Angeles Dodgers, they completely ignored offers for two starters, Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha. Tim Kelly over at Bleacher Report thinks they’re gonna be kicking themselves for it.
Why KC’s Inaction Was a Massive Miss
You’ve gotta wonder what they were thinking, because according to Kelly, keeping Lugo and Wacha could easily become a massive regret. He says straight up that this “current formula isn’t working,” and it’s gonna be super tough for them to turn things around in one offseason. So, why wouldn’t you consider offers for guys who could bring in a “huge return” and whose absence wouldn’t really hurt a team that’s already, well, struggling?
The Future, Or Lack Thereof
Look, both Lugo and Wacha are under contract through the 2028 season with club options, but the Royals are only guaranteed one more season on those deals. If they really wanted a reset, free up some serious cash, and actually try to contend in, say, 2028, trading these guys would’ve been a no-brainer. Especially with the 2027 MLB season being a total “question mark” thanks to those ongoing labor talks between the MLBPA and MLB. This was a seller’s market, people! Controllable starters like Lugo and Wacha fetch a high price, and KC just let that opportunity walk right out the door.
Age and a Lackluster Roster
And let’s not even get into the ages: Wacha is 35, Lugo is 37. Neither of them are exactly long-term solutions for a team that isn’t good enough to contend *now*. Kelly points out that even if these two are All-Star caliber, it just won’t matter with a “lackluster roster” around them. The potential haul they missed out on, the uncertain future of the league, their advanced age, and the bleak projection for the next couple of years? It all adds up to a decision the Royals are probably going to be regretting for a long, long time.
So, while other teams were making moves to solidify their futures, the Royals sat pat on two veteran arms that clearly aren’t part of any long-term plan. What’s at stake here is not just a missed opportunity for a massive rebuild, but potentially setting their entire franchise back even further. You hate to see it when a team just refuses to face facts, don’t you?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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