Thursday, October 1, 2026
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With a lackluster farm system at his disposal, Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski is going to have to get creative at the 2026 trade deadline.
Philadelphia is in a championship window that is fading rather quickly. While the team has gotten back on track under interim manager Don Mattingly, the club is one of the oldest rosters in Major League Baseball.
With a lot of long-term deals on the books, the Phillies have limited spots that can truly be upgraded at the deadline. With the team needing a right-handed-hitting outfielder, a depth starter and a left-handed leverage reliever, they will have to upgrade if they have any hope of winning a championship this season.
A struggling team that is certain to sell at this year's deadline is the Kansas City Royals. Led by perennial MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr., the Royals have once again gotten off to a putrid start to their season.
A deal with the Royals could be beneficial for both clubs.
Dombrowski pulled off a trade with the Kansas City Royals this past offseason when he dealt left-handed reliever Matt Strahm for right-handed reliever Jonathan Bowlen.
That deal has largely been a win for Philadelphia, as Bowlen has a 3.80 earned run average in 25 appearances, while Strahm has a 6.20 earned run average in 27 games for Kansas City.
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A player the Phillies should check in on is right-handed pitcher Seth Lugo.
Lugo, formerly of the New York Mets, is a 36-year-old veteran who signed this past offseason to extend his time with the AL Central club.
Since joining the Royals in 2024, Lugo has established himself as a quality arm. In 74 starts, the righty has pitched to a 27-20 record with a 3.52 earned run average in 437.1 innings pitched.
This season, Lugo is 3-4 with a 3.69 earned run average in 85.1 innings pitched. In terms of fWAR, Lugo has accumulated a total of 1.6 to begin the year. He ranks as the 15th best pitcher in the American League, with his teammate Michael Wacha right ahead with a 1.7 mark.
Lugo finished runner-up for the American League Cy Young Award in 2024, posting the best season of his career. He was well paid for his efforts, commanding a two-year, $46 million deal this past winter.
In terms of average annual value (AAV), he is the second-highest-paid player on the Royals this season. However, in terms of salary for 2026, he makes the most.
This trade option is attractive for the Phillies, particularly due to the cost.
With the amount of money owed to Lugo, the Phillies, a large market club, could look to help the Royals, a small market team, financially.
The Royals would have no choice but to eat a portion of Lugo's salary if they are going to move him at the trade deadline. In terms of starting pitching money, his deal is very fair in value. However, most teams do not have the financial flexibility to take on that level of salary in the middle of a season.
Philadelphia can, however.
The more money they retain, the higher the prospect will be required to make a deal. For the Phillies, they can ask the Royals to keep some salary on their books but inherit a large portion as well. This would allow Philly to send back a lower-tier prospect to make the deal happen.
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The main reason why the Phillies would look to add a player like Lugo is to command innings down the stretch this season.
Andrew Painter was demoted back to Triple-A to try to work on his hit-or-miss command. Giving their top pitching prospect a chance to regroup, the Phillies have a void in their rotation.
While Alan Rangel appears to be their solution for the time being, Lugo could erase any doubt by joining the rotation. He is a pitcher who can go out every five games and give the Phillies a quality chance of winning. As a fifth starter, Lugo would be far and away the best fifth starter in baseball.
Depending on performance, he could even edge out Aaron Nola as the team’s fourth starter. If the team is to make a deep playoff run, they will have to rely on more than just Cristopher Sanchez, Zack Wheeler, and Jesus Luzardo.
Additionally, Lugo does have bullpen experience. This would give him a leg up over some others in terms of making the playoff roster by potentially giving him a role come October.
While the price tag for Lugo is undetermined, a deal similar to this in nature could get the job done for the Phillies.
Phillies receive: Seth Lugo (Kansas City retains 50% of Lugo’s salary)
Kansas City receives: Keaton Anthony (Phillies’ 28th-ranked prospect)
