MLB.com's top Royals trade chip seems like one name KC can't afford to lose at deadline

The Kansas City Royals are reportedly still unsure of which direction they'll take at the 2026 trade deadline and their current hot run to start the month of June hasn't necessarily made things any clearer. Momentum would tell you that at 6-2 this month, the Royals may be wise to lean into their success and buy, especially given that a 33-35 record is good enough for a wild card spot and they now sit under five games back of that third wild card spot. That being said, a record of seven games below .500 that only bests the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angeles Angels would suggest selling may be wise.

However, what seems like a safe assumption is that the Royals all but likely won't make any dramatic moves with the postseason not a certainty, perhaps similar to the very conservative buyers approach they took last season. This makes MLB.com's pick of Michael Wacha as their top trade chip at the deadline one that would fall into that too extreme category.

At first glance, Wacha seems like an ideal trade candidate as an aging veteran arm with solid numbers and at least one more year of his contract remaining. And perhaps in perfect circumstances he would be an ideal trade candidate. However, if 2026 has proven anything it's that the Royals aren't dealing with ideal circumstances this season.

With Ragans suffering from injuries again, Bubic landing on the shelf himself and Noah Cameron only just looking like his near-Rookie of the Year finalist self from a year ago, Wacha and his veteran rotation mate Seth Lugo have been tasked with carrying this staff all season.

Royals should entertain offers for Seth Lugo before considering moving Michael Wacha

Now, between the two, it's easy to see why Wacha is the go-to trade candidate for the Royals should they adopt a selling role ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. He's two years younger than Lugo and boasts a safer pitching profile that would look far more intriguing to potential trade suitors.

However, that's precisely the point. Given injuries to names like Ragans, uncertain performances from Cameron and Stephen Kolek and the uncertain future of Bubic beyond 2026, the Royals really can't afford to give up a name like Wacha.

Through 81 innings of work across 13 starts, the veteran right-hander is throwing to a 3.44 ERA, 3.97 FIP, 1.14 WHIP and .221 BAA.

This means for the fifth-straight season, and third with the Royals, Wacha is pitching to a sub-4.00 ERA and sub-.250 BAA while throwing to a sub-1.20 WHIP for the fourth time in this five year span. He's been a bill of consistency and easy source of quality starts. In fact his nine quality starts currently leads all American League pitchers in 2026.

While he's not the poster boy for advanced metrics by any means, he at least trends towards average in many cases including slightly above average totals this season in hard-hit rate, barrel rate and his walk rate. When you compare it to Seth Lugo and his 33rd percentile or lower ratings in every major advanced or expected metric besides walk rate, Wacha constitutes as a data darling.

Still, despite his poor metrics, Lugo continues to defy the odds, throwing to a 3.91 ERA and 3.60 FIP. This precisely why the Royals should attempt to cash in on their luck now and get some sort of return while they can. Because for an arm that's just two seasons removed from being the AL Cy Young runner-up, there will certainly be suitors for him as the summer progresses.

Lugo may not bring back as much of a return for the Royals as someone like Wacha. That being said, with how shaky their starting staff has looked already and given the way the Royals are trending now - being less than five games out of a postseason spot - Wacha seems too valuable to entertain offers on this season if the thought of contention is still there for Kansas City.

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