​The Kansas City Royals have spent several decades leaning toward underachievement, and a recurring flaw among their decision-makers has been a reluctance to part with veterans who could help the franchise in the short term. Names like David DeJesus, Joakim Soria, Danny Duffy, Kelvin Herrera, Whit Merrifield, and Scott Barlow stand out as prime examples. Each at one point represented a premium trade asset, yet the Royals hesitated to monetize any of them until their values had already declined. Add Kris Bubic and Cole Ragans to that list, and the pattern becomes clear: the organization has often clung to its established players rather than extracting maximum value while the market supported it.
Why do teams trade their good players? The logic is straightforward: established players bring present value, while top prospects offer future value. The balance between preserving current competitiveness and building toward a brighter future depends on a team’s current strength. For weaker clubs, exchanging some of the present value of a veteran for the potential of a prospect—or vice versa—can align with the club’s timeline. Trading established big leaguers for prospects is a method for teams out of contention to leverage their talent in a way that could yield dividends once they’re ready to contend again.
Of course, simplicity does not guarantee ease. Imagine having to defend to your boss why your team’s missteps should prompt a loss-laden plan now in the hope of greater rewards later. That is the emotional calculus general managers must navigate when selling these ideas to ownership. Still, it’s part of the job, and when a team has tradeable assets, it makes the negotiation somewhat smoother.
For the Royals, there are a few players who could be attractive in trades. The most prominent names are starting pitchers Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo. Wacha has, in recent seasons, been among the more dependable American League starters, while Lugo has pitched respectably and is only two years removed from a Cy Young runner-up finish. Kansas City is also a team that has felt sunk by its performance, eliminating playoff odds and diminishing any urgency tied to the outcome of this season. The outcome is largely academic: a 90-win season or a 120-loss season does not alter their fate in the standings, and the draft lottery’s structure further complicates the incentives to compete.
Are the Royals actively seeking to move Lugo or Wacha? Predictably, no; they appear content to let their lawn remain untouched while they assess the next steps. A month ago, The Athletic reported that the Royals were not as comfortable trading right-handers Lugo and Wacha as they were parting with catcher Freddy Fermin at last year’s deadline. Since then, nothing has shifted in that stance, even though the Los Angeles Angels sit at the bottom of the AL standings as the only team with a worse record than Kansas City.
A year earlier, the Royals viewed Carter Jensen as nearing a major-league readiness, which made Fermin expendable. They have not identified comparable internal replacements for Lugo and Wacha. And with shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and third baseman Maikel García locked into long-term deals, the club has signaled that a full rebuild is not in their plans. Those involved in discussions around the team have indicated that while the Royals are open to listening on Lugo and Wacha, their demands would be substantial.
In short, the Royals’ current strategy reflects a mix of evaluating present value against future prospects, resisting a rapid rebuild, and signaling to the market that while they are not categorically opposed to trades, any deals would require significant compensation. The club’s administration has maintained that, despite a disappointing stretch, they are not retreating into a full-scale rebuild and will approach potential deals with caution, aiming to maximize outcomes for a franchise that remains committed to competing as soon as feasible.