Seth Lugo, a prominent pitcher for the Kansas City Royals, will be staying with the team for the foreseeable future, as he finalizes a multi-year contract extension. This development, confirmed by ESPN’s Jeff Passan, comes as a surprise to some who speculated that Lugo might be traded before the deadline. According to Anne Rogers of MLB.com, the extension is expected to be a two-year deal with a vesting option for the 2028 season, and New York Post's Jon Heyman reports that the total value of the contract is approximately $46 million.

Lugo, now 35 years old, is enjoying a stellar season, showcasing impressive statistics with a 2.95 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP across 19 starts. These numbers indicate he is on pace for one of the best years of his career. Despite his individual success, the Royals have struggled significantly, currently sitting four games back in the wild card race with a 52-54 record. This lack of team success had led to speculation about Lugo's potential availability in trade discussions.

Prior to the trade deadline, reports emerged, including one from Bob Nightengale of USA Today, indicating that teams were closely scouting Lugo. There was a belief that if the Royals continued to falter, Lugo could be placed on the trading block. Ultimately, however, Kansas City chose not to pursue trades, opting to secure Lugo’s talents for additional years. Previously, Lugo had a player option for the 2026 season and was anticipated to opt-out to enter the free agent market, where he would have been one of the top pitching options. Instead, he is now committed to the Royals, hoping to build on his previous achievements, which include a 3.00 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP with a 16-9 record from his first season in Kansas City, where he also finished second in the AL Cy Young Award voting.