5 richest contracts handed out in KC Royals history

The Kansas City Royals have seen plenty of superstars grace their dugout over the years, and as is the case with most incredible athletes, those superstars often come at a price. While the Royals aren't known to be one of the biggest-spending teams in MLB, they've certainly loosened the purse strings to retool their roster when needed — especially over the last few seasons.

Here are the five richest contracts in Royals' history, ranked based on each deal's average annual value (AAV).

5. Seth Lugo — 3 years, $45 million

The Royals signed free agent starter Seth Lugo to a three-year, $45 million contract on December 12, 2023, with the guaranteed salary divided evenly across the deal's duration. The contract has an AAV of $15 million and includes an opt-out after the second season.

If Lugo's first season in Kansas City is anything to go off, the deal was definitely worth the Royals' money. In just his second year as a full-time starter, the 33-year-old won his first Gold Glove Award and was selected to the All-MLB Second Team — and the impressive achievements don't end there.

In 33 regular-season starts this year, Lugo posted a 16-9 record with a 3.00 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and 181 strikeouts in 206.2 innings. He finished the first half of the season tied for the most wins in the majors (11) and leading the American League in ERA (2.21), earning the first All-Star selection of his career. Lugo made two starts during Kansas City's postseason run, posting a 2.89 ERA and 8 strikeouts in 9.1 innings of work.