Breaking: SF Giants trade with the Royals reunite Bob Melvin with an All-Star pitcher

The San Francisco Giants are expected to focus on acquiring starting pitching at the trade deadline. Although the trade market is still taking shape, one potential upgrade for their rotation could be Kansas City Royals starter.

Could an SF Giants trade with the Royals reunite Bob Melvin with an All-Star pitcher?

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that teams are beginning to keep tabs on Him in case the Royals decide to become sellers. He is in the second season of a two-year, $30 million contract that includes a player option for a third year.

Dealing players with player options can be complicated. As Nightengale points out, Lugo is expected to decline his option and test free agency, essentially making him a rental.

The Giants were one of several teams interested in Lugo before he ultimately signed with Kansas City, as he was one of the more sought-after pitchers on the market that offseason.

 

 

Lugo, now 35, made the move to a starting role with the Padres in 2023. In his one season with San Diego, he posted a 3.57 ERA, 3.83 FIP, 1.20 WHIP, 8.6 K/9, and a 3.89 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 146.1 innings—a breakout performance that set the stage for his current success.

Notably, Giants manager Bob Melvin was leading the Padres at the time and brought several coaches with him to San Francisco (though Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla stayed behind). This familiarity between Melvin and Lugo could help facilitate a deal.

When Melvin’s 2026 option was recently picked up, players like Matt Chapman and Logan Webb publicly supported the move, underlining Melvin’s strong rapport with his roster. His long managerial career is a testament to that player support.

 

 

Since joining the Royals, Lugo has delivered a 2.89 ERA across 49 starts—ranking among the top eight in the league over that span. He earned an All-Star nod last year and finished second in AL Cy Young voting behind Tarik Skubal. This season, he has maintained a strong 2.65 ERA in 16 starts, though some underlying metrics, such as his 4.16 FIP, suggest slight regression.

The Giants, who have Logan Webb and Robbie Ray holding down rotation spots, could benefit from adding another proven arm. Landen Roupp has shown promise, but the rest of the rotation remains uncertain. Acquiring someone like Lugo would give the Giants a strong front three in their starting staff.