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By Hunter Mulholland
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Kansas City Royals shut down any chance of trading last season's Cy Young runner-up, Seth Lugo, ahead of Thursday's trade deadline with a two-year extension.
The deal rules out any chance of a trade as the Royals lock in Lugo to their rotation until 2028.
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Lugo has found success in Kansas City and will now remain there, effectively removing him from any team's deadline targets and free agency wish lists. Lugo has been just as good this season, posting a 2.95 ERA in 19 starts, carrying his success over from last season.
With the Detroit Tigers having a firm grip on the division this season, the Royals' only shot at playing October baseball is to earn a wild-card spot. Extending Lugo shows the Royals' intend to compete for that spot during the final two months.
Lugo was expected to hit free agency at the end of the season, and if the Royals were going to sell by Thursday's deadline, he would have been a touted addition to contending clubs.
"We're a much better team with Seth Lugo here than not here," Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said about the right-hander's future, according to The Athletic.
Picollo believes that the Royals are built for future success and sees Lugo as a part of that with the new extension, but they are not losing sight of this season.
The teams that were interested in the right-hander will have to take another route at the trade deadline after the Royals gave him his extension. Meanwhile, the Royals have their eyes set on October.
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