KC Royals Rumors: ESPN insider plays matchmaker, sends Seth Lugo to AL rival

While the Kansas City Royals are smack dab in the middle of acquiring the next generation of stars in the MLB Draft, general manager J.J. Picollo is also busy making this year's team just a little bit better. Or at least trying to make it better.

However, suppose the season doesn't turn around in a big way. In that case, Picollo might go the other way and sell off one of his most significant assets in Seth Lugo.

Should the Royals turn into sellers at the deadline, it's a foregone conclusion at this point that Lugo will be on the move. Where he ends up is the real question. According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Lugo could end up as the odds-on favorite to win the AL West.

KC Royals trade rumors: Seth Lugo emerges as prime Astros deadline target

Passan wrote an article laying out the top moves for all the contenders at the MLB Trade deadline. In that piece, he pegged the KC Royals to ship their veteran star in Lugo to the Houston Astros.

"Even if the cost is heavy and eats into a farm system that's among the worst in MLB," Passan wrote. "Targeting a pitcher of Lugo's ilk would give them among the nastiest postseason rotations in the game and further entrench the Astros as a force."

As Passan rightly points out, Lugo does have some peripherals that show he could be due for a pretty massive regression. Still, that regression hasn't come yet as he's posted a 6-5 record with a 2.67 ERA. Considering this outstanding season comes on the heels of easily the best campaign of his entire career for the Royals last year - when he finished second in AL Cy Young voting - he may have figured out how to pitch to his strengths.

Royals fans are, of course, hoping their team doesn't end up a seller. Unfortunately, time is running out to make a run. To have any shot at holding onto their best players, the club will need to come out of the All-Star break making a serious run.