As the MLB trade deadline looms, teams are scrambling to fine-tune their rosters for the final playoff push. Notably, the Blue Jays find themselves just one reliable starting pitcher away from being a legitimate postseason powerhouse. Meanwhile, the Dodgers, still reeling from injuries in their rotation, are also searching desperately for a steady arm to stabilize things down the stretch. And guess what, both of them had zeroed in on the same name—Seth Lugo
But in a bold, forward-looking move, the Kansas City Royals might have ended this arms race overnight.
“Right-hander Seth Lugo and the Kansas City Royals are finalizing a multiyear contract extension, sources tell ESPN. One of the best potential trade candidates this deadline season — and top free agent arms this winter — instead will remain in Kansas City,” MLB insider Jeff Passan broke the news on X.
So, what does this mean now?
BREAKING: Right-hander Seth Lugo and the Kansas City Royals are finalizing a multiyear contract extension, sources tell ESPN. One of the best potential trade candidates this deadline season — and top free agent arms this winter — instead will remain in Kansas City.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 28, 2025
Well, the Dodgers have been hit hard by injuries to their pitching staff in recent months. While guys like Blake Snell are slowly working their way back, it’s clear the team still needs to bring in some reinforcements. And Seth Lugo seemed like an ideal fit. The veteran right-hander has been excellent this season, posting a sub-3.00 ERA over 18 starts and racking up a 2.9 WAR so far. He could definitely stabilize the Dodgers’ rotation.
Meanwhile, over in Toronto, the Blue Jays’ rotation has been heading in the wrong direction as well. After putting up a solid 3.85 ERA in 2023 and 3.95 in 2024, the number has dipped to 4.55 this year. And the drop-off mostly stems from the pitchers outside of their main core. Berrios, Gausman, Bassitt, Scherzer, and Francis have held their own, but the rest of the group has struggled badly, putting up a combined 5.79 ERA across 74 innings.
So, all of this made Lugo a hot trade target, especially since he’s in the final year of his deal with the Royals. Though he has a $15 million player option for 2026, the way he’s been pitching, it seems likely he’d opt out and hit free agency, effectively making him a rental. He is going strong with Kansas City at the moment, with a 2.95 ERA and 99 strikeouts this season.
But now, the trade option might off the table. For teams like the Dodgers or Blue Jays who were eyeing him, the plan just went up in the smokes. But if you think Seth Lugo was the lone name the Dodgers and the Blue Jays were contending for, you are mistaken. The next name in the list is Sandy Alcantara of the Marlins.
The Dodgers-Jays contention goes beyond Seth Lugo
Per Bleacher Report’s Zachary Rymer, the Blue Jays could be the best landing spot for Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara. With names like Trey Yesavage, Orelvis Martinez, and Ricky Tiedemann in the farm system, Toronto definitely has the prospect depth to make a deal happen. And while Alcantara hasn’t consistently looked like his Cy Young self this season, he’s still shown flashes of that elite form at times.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers have also been linked to Alcantara as the July 31 deadline approaches. The right-hander missed all of last season with a forearm flexor strain, and since returning, things haven’t gone smoothly. Currently, he’s carrying a career-worst 6.66 ERA over 20 starts.
Despite the rough numbers, MLB insider Ryan Dempster thinks the Dodgers could be a great fit for Alcantara.
The next name that might be on the radar of these two teams is the Guardians’ Emmanuel Clase. According to Sports Illustrated, Clase could be an ideal trade target for the Blue Jays. With a 3.23 ERA and a 1.225 WHIP so far in 2025, he’d be a solid addition to Toronto’s bullpen. Especially now that Seth Lugo is no longer an option. However, on the flip side, Just Baseball’s Ryan Finkelstein and Jay Staph have suggested that Clase could also be a great value pickup for the Dodgers.
Let’s wait and watch who gets the most in their basket by July 31st.
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