Seth Lugo paying early dividends for upstart Royals 

Going into the 2023 season, Seth Lugo had only 38 career starts, 18 of which came in his second big league season with Mets in 2017. Last season, at the age of 33, the Padres were willing to give him the chance to be a starter and he responded well. 

He threw a career-high 146.1 innings in 2023. He'd never thrown more than 101.1 innings in a single season, and he'd done that twice. He had 140 strikeouts and just 36 walks last year, pitching to a solid 3.57 ERA and 1.203 WHIP. 

This offseason, the Kansas City Royals were desperate to improve a rotation that hadn't been even decent for years. They signed Lugo for two years, $30 million, plus a player option for the same salary in 2026, according to Spotrac. Along with veteran Michael Wacha, the Royals felt certain they had taken big steps forward with their rotation. 

Lugo has been brilliant for Kansas City so far. Through his first four starts, he is tied for first in the majors in innings pitched with 25.2 and eighth in ERA at 1.05. He is one of only two starters (Jose Berrios of Toronto is the other) with a quality start in all four outings. 

He has been everything the Royals could have hoped for to this point. He has been instrumental in the Royals having the third best record in the American League nearly three weeks into the season. 

He hasn't been overpowering, recording just 13 strikeouts, but he's only allowed six walks, letting the stellar defense behind him do most of the work. 

The season is a long one and it was a risk to trust someone like Lugo so much. On one hand, despite being an eight-year veteran, Lugo didn't have a ton of mileage on his arm. On the other hand, will his arm tire the deeper into the season because he is unused to the workload. 

Last year, Lugo did not experience any wild swings in performance results from month-to-month. He was rather consistent all season, outside of a dip in May when he suffered from a calf strain, but his numbers held steady through the rest of the season upon his return in late June. 

The Royals hope Lugo will mimic that steadfastness throughout the 2024 season and beyond. While they aren't expecting the ERA to remain around 1.00 all season, they will be thrilled if he can finish in the 3.00-3.50 range and continues to be unflappable on the mound. 

Regardless of if he pitched in the rotation or from the bullpen, Lugo has always displayed a strong skillset with a career 3.40 ERA and 1.169 WHIP, and he seldom gives up many home runs. He barely exceeds allowing one homer per nine innings so his game should play well in the cavernous Kauffman Stadium. 

The marriage between Lugo and the Royals has been a very successful one early in the season. It looks like it might be a strong signing for the Royals and if Lugo pitches well over the next two seasons, and decides to activate his option year in 2026, he might just be a centerpiece in a strong rotation for the next three seasons.