Royals urged to listen to trade calls on 6 players by ESPN’s Jeff Passan

Royals urged to listen to trade calls on 6 players by ESPN’s Jeff Passan originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Kansas City Royals are not having a good 2026 season at all, and with the way things are going, it would not be a surprise to see Kansas City acting as sellers this season.

With the MLB trade deadline a little under two months away, on August 3, there’s time to right the ship. But if the Royals continue to struggle, they could be big sellers this season.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan named six players the Royals should at least consider offers for this season, and it’s not just a few veteran rentals. Passan believes some big-name Royals should be available this season at the deadline.

Royals urged to field trade offers on 6 players

“Wacha has been tremendous and is under control for two more seasons. Same with Seth Lugo. Kris Bubic could be the best of the bunch — and the least costly,” Passan writes. “Kansas City should listen on Cole Ragans. Even Vinnie Pasquantino and Daniel Lynch IV, two years from free agency, could be options.”

The 24-38 Royals are 11.5 games out of the AL Central race, and dead-last in the division. It’s clear this team isn’t good enough this season, and some trade candidates are worth exploring.

Beginning in the rotation, Passan named four starting pitchers as possible trade candidates. Michael Wacha was Passan’s “Best player available” this season for the Royals, but Ragans, Lugo, and Bubic all could be dealt as well.

With teams needing starting rotation help, the Royals could trade some of these veteran starters and acquire prospect talent that can make an impact at the MLB level in the near future.

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Lynch is an intriguing reliever trade target, as his 1.85 ERA this season would surely draw suitors in for what’s not a very strong reliever trade market.

Lastly, Pasquantino being a trade candidate would be a bitter pill to swallow for Royals fans, as the fan favorite slugger being dealt would be a sad roster move.

But if teams are willing to pay a steep price to acquire the slugger, then the Royals should at least consider such a trade.

Passan believes that all six of these Royals players should, at the very least, be players the Royals entertain trade offers on. They don’t have to trade all of them, but they should at least pick up the phone when a team comes calling and seriously entertain their offers.