Cubs Inquired With Royals About 2024 Cy Young Runner-Up Seth Lugo
After losing Justin Steele for the remainder of the 2025 season, the Chicago Cubs were immediately involved in the starting pitching trade market. While they have yet to complete a deal, they are in talks with many teams.
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According to Matthew Trueblood of Northside Baseball, the Cubs have engaged in trade discussions with the Kansas City Royals for starting pitcher Seth Lugo.
Trueblood reported, "The Chicago Cubs and the Kansas City Royals had discussions this week about a trade that could send right-handed starter Seth Lugo to the North Siders, sources familiar with negotiations said."
The Royals' ace is coming off an incredible 2024 season, where he was the American League Cy Young Award runner-up to Tarik Skubal. He had a 3.00 ERA, a 16-9 record, and 181 strikeouts across 206.2 innings in 2024.
While his 2024 was impressive, leading to being the AL Cy Young runner-up, he's off to an even better start in 2025. In his 10th MLB season, Lugo is putting together one of his best seasons of his career.
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Across his 88.2 innings in 15 starts this season, Lugo has 76 strikeouts, 28 walks, and a 2.74 ERA. He's 5-5 on the year and is having a strong season for the second year in a row.
Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer speaks before introducing Craig Counsell as the new Cubs manager during a press conference in Chicago.Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
The All-Star and Gold Glover is in the final year of his current deal, but has a $15 million player option for the 2026 season. The Cubs could use Lugo for the next few years, and he could decide to stay if the Cubs go on a postseason run.
Lugo would be a considerable part of such a run, as he'd join a rotation needing more help. Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd have been the best starters for the Cubs this year, and the rest of the rotation has struggled.
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While adding Lugo may cost a bit, with other teams likely interested in the Royals ace, he'd be an excellent pickup for the Cubs. The Cubs are not surprised to inquire about him, as he'd be one of the better options if available on the market.
The only thing holding a deal back is the Royals' insistence that they are a postseason contender. But based on their poor offense, the Royals might be out of things by the deadline. If so, a Cubs-Lugo trade could materialize based on this report from Trueblood amid the team's search for a Steele replacement.
Related: Cubs Linked to Trade Interest in Recent All-Star Right-Hander From NL Central Rival
Related: Cubs Reportedly Showing Interest in $70 Million Gold Glove to Replace Matt Shaw
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
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