The Kansas City Royals claimed outfielder Matthew Lugo from the Los Angeles Angels off waivers on Tuesday.
The Angels designated Lugo for assignment last week after selecting the contract of infielder Nick Madrigal and placing first baseman Nolan Schanuel on the injured list.
Lugo last played in MLB in 2025, featuring for the Angels in 31 games over the course of the season. His first—and longest—stint in the majors last season came in May, when he played 15 games at the top level. He hit three homers that month, driving in six runs and posting a .814 OPS.
The Angels sent him down towards the end of May, and he played just two more games before coming up for the rest of the season at the end of August.
He finished the year with four homers and nine RBIs, posting a .707 OPS during his time with the Angels.
Lugo began the season in Triple-A once again, but he quickly found himself in Double-A after an average start to the season. After moving to Double-A, Lugo had three homers and 26 RBIs in 39 games played with a .788 OPS.
The Angels didn’t really have a spot for Lugo anymore after Wade Meckler made his way to MLB, as they have plenty of depth in the outfield. Jo Adell and Mike Trout are locks to start for the Angels, and the combination of Meckler with Jose Siri and Jorge Soler doesn’t leave much room for anyone else.
Will Matthew Lugo Play on the Royals?
While Lugo couldn’t make his way to MLB with the Angels, his prospects are equally as grim with the Royals. They have a plethora of outfielders in the big leagues at the moment, such as Isaac Colins, Lane Thomas, Kyle Isbel, Jac Caglianone and speed threat Tyler Tolbert.
Tolbert is the most likely player for him to replace, but he will likely have to prove his worth as the Royals optioned him to Triple-A upon bringing him in.
The Royals didn’t have to make a roster move to make room on their roster, as they designated catcher Elias Díaz and pitcher Bailey Falter for assignment recently.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source lasportsreport.com ’
