Sources: Brewers "In On" Royals Starters Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha

[Matthew Trueblood]

Image courtesy of Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Not satisfied to shop for pure rental arms, the Brewers are in touch with the Royals about two veteran starters under contract for 2027, according to a source briefed on recent discussions between the two teams. Milwaukee scouted Seth Lugo's start at Target Field this week and are also interested in fellow righty Michael Wacha.

Lugo, 36, is owed about $7 million for the balance of 2026 and another $21.5 million in 2027. There's a team option in the deal that would pay him $17 million in 2028, and which comes with a $3-million buyout. Lugo is 4-6 with a 4.22 ERA in 22 starts, and is pitching better than that of late. Over his last three outings, he's allowed just five earned runs in 19 innings. He doesn't miss bats the way he did even a year or two ago, muting the value of his exceptionally deep arsenal, but his durability and capacity to work deep into games is regarded as a huge potential boost for a Brewers staff in need of an innings sponge.

Somewhat more tantalizing and fresh off a trip to the All-Star Game, Wacha is 35 years old, but has a prettier 3.60 ERA in his 21 starts. He's owed $6 million for the rest of this year and $14 million (with a chance to make another $4 million via incentives) in 2027, and his deal comes with a more affordable 2028 option. He, too, is running a below-average strikeout rate, but he's been consistently able to mute hard contact while filling up the strike zone throughout his career.

These deals reflect a couple of interlinked and important realities, league sources say. One is that the Tigers' asking price on Tarik Skubal remains "unrealistic," according to one source, making it unlikely that Milwaukee will pony up for the top rental arm on the market. Another is that, with the trade deadline coming so deep in this season and the Brewers' place atop the NL Central seemingly safe, the team is reluctant to pay the trade prices even on lower-tier rentals. They would rather do so for a pitcher who can continue to ease their management of pitchers' workloads in 2027 (or beyond), and while their budget is not unlimited even for partial-season additions, they're prepared to absorb some salary obligations in order to pay lower prospect costs for the upgrades they feel they need.

It's been a slightly wrong-footed fortnight for the NL Central leaders, but they still have a strong position in the playoff jostling, and there might not be a better all-around team in the league even as they're currently constructed. Teams with top-tier chips to move will try to extract Milwaukee's highest-value prospects, but the team believes they can make important improvements without setting themselves back in the future that way. The Royals' veterans offer one path to that destination; the team still has four days to explore others.

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[Brewcrew82]

Zero interest in Lugo. He looks cooked. 

Wacha would be a fine addition for this year. Don't think I'd want to pay him $14 million for next season though. 

[Trax]

No harm in talking.   Brewers have usually been very smart at this time of the year, please continue that.

 

NO rentals unless incredibly on the cheap and don't overpay for anyone else either.

We are fine as is with maybe a couple of minor addons when they make sense. 

[tmwiese55]

My memory from STL days was Wacha was a heavy groundball pitcher due to sinker. Not sure if that was or is true anymore, but if so MKE should be a good fit for him.   But yea, if we're giving legit prospects hopefully KC chips in some money to pay that down a bit for next year.  That said 14 mil isn't far off mediocre competent starter pay these days, especially on a 1 year deal. Not ideal, but not absurd either.