Royals sign Seth Lugo


Kansas City pitching last season was abysmal from the starting five to the bullpen. The front office made it extremely clear entering this offseason that the team would go out and get a veteran starter. The Royals were linked to some notable starting pitchers on the market such as Lucas Giolito, Michael Wacha, and Marcus Stroman. But the team decided on a 34-year old to fill a rotation spot in righthander Seth Lugo. The right-hander is the oldest of the arms Kansas City showed interest in. At the age of 34, the right-hander had a respectable season with the Padres. Even though Lugo fills a spot in the rotation, the amount of money he will make will likely be a red flag to fans due to his age. Fansthat could be worried that his age could increase chances of injuries to occur. The length of the deal on the other hand makes a ton of sense for the boys in blue. Lugo can get hitters out with a nasty curveball. The 34-year old's other pitches aren't too shabby either. The right-hander has a five pitch mix. The righty features a four seamer, curve, sinker, cutter, slider, and a changeup. A pitcher can never have too many pitches to choose from. The former Padre doesn't have an overpowering fastball, but that's not a problem for a pitcher like Lugo. The 34-year old's curveball is nasty as it just drops. Why would the Royals sign a 34-year old to a three-year deal worth $45 million. Lugo's deal with Kansas City includes an opt-out opportunity in the second year of the deal (2025), and the team was desperate for rotation help. According to MLB Network, the 34-year old is a great teammate. Why is that important? Leadership is very important in baseball, especially on a team with young pitchers. Lugo could teach pitchers like Brady Singer and Daniel Lynch how to pitch without throwing lights out stuff against players like Mike Trout, Giancarlo Stanton, and other sluggers. Lugo unfortunately isn't exactly an inning eater, but that's where Jordan Lyles comes into play next season. Lugo does have the ability to go out on the mound every fifth day and have a quality game. Lugo throughout his career has bounced between the bullpen and the rotation never having a role set in stone. After seven years of bouncing between being a starter and reliver, the Padres gave him his big break last season. One season of Lugo being a starter in San Diego gave the Royals enough confidence in the 34-year old to hand him a multi-year deal to be a staple in the rotation. The righthander's spot in the rotation in my opinion would have been the number three spot behind Ragans and Singer, but at $45 million dollars almost guarantees him the second spot in the team's rotation behind Ragans. Royals General Manager J.J Picollo's decision to sign a starter like Lugo was clear in an interview this week after signing reliever Will Smith according to The Seattle Times: "We’re trying to put a team together. It’s not really one individual talent,” Picollo said this week, while announcing a $5 million deal with reliever Will Smith. “Given the inexperience in our clubhouse other than Salvy (Perez) and Jordan (Lyles), we felt like we were short with guys like will that have not only won at a high level but experienced the game.” Although Lugo isn't mentioned in the interview with Picollo, he did say earlier this off-season that the team was focusing on improving the pitching staff. Next season for the Royals will certainly be an interesting one to watch with the additions of Lugo, and the team might not be done with signing other pitchers to fill out the bullpen; but Lugo will likely be the most expensive signing this off-season for the Royals. The addition of Lugo in my opinion will help the rotation take a big step in the right direction. As a member of the San Diego rotation last season, the Padres rotation ranked number seven out of the top ten in the league according to MLB.com. San Diego last season had many options to choose from for their rotation including Lugo. Lugo's decision to leave San Diego for free agency, other than for an increase in pay, was likely due to the team having a crowded pitching staff. The 34-year old took a risk entering a free agent market that is filled with many starting pitchers. Some that are younger and that have a better track record. The gamble paid off for the righthander. Lugo's deal with Kansas City certainly gives him job security and a guaranteed spot in the rotation. Finally, even though I believe the Royals may have signed a 34-year old to a long contract, I really appreciate the front office's effort to improve the rotation and bullpen to help put a more competitive team on the field next season.


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