Positioned for the playoffs and in a near-tie for first place in their division, the New York Mets appear to be one of the biggest buyers at the trade deadline.
Will one of their acquisitions result in a trip down memory lane?
ESPN’s Buster Olney sourced multiple league executives and evaluators, who said the Mets may be targeting pitcher Seth Lugo, who spent his first seven seasons with the Mets as both a reliever and later a starter.
Lugo transitioned to a full-time starter after leaving the Mets and joining the San Diego Padres in free agency following the 2022 season.
He has since blossomed into one of the league’s top starters, finishing second in Cy Young voting for the American League last season with the Kansas City Royals. He currently sports a 6-5 record with a 2.67 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 101.0 innings over 17 starts.
Lugo remains under contract through 2026. It will also be a question if whether the Royals (47-50) would be willing to sell.
Financially, some league executives have questions whether Mets general manager David Stearns would be aggressive taking in Lugo’s contract, which is $15 million through the end of his current deal.
