Padres May Have Trouble Retaining Seth Lugo According to Latest Report

Lugo put together a solid first season with the Friars.

Entering this offseason, the San Diego Padres are expected to have major turnover within their starting rotation with multiple players entering free agency. The team’s rotation is likely to look very different next year, and the team has some work to do to build it back out.

Starters Blake Snell, Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo are all expected to leave the Padres this winter, as the Friars look to shed payroll. All three put together solid seasons last year, and it seems that the market for Lugo is gaining some major steam.

MLB insider Robery Murray is reporting that “more than half the league” has checked in on the veteran pitcher. His market is extensive and teams see the value in him after the year he just had.

Per @ByRobertMurray's sources: The Twins are looking to cut payroll and have aggressively tried to move certain players, including Christian Vázquez.

Plus more players to watch ⬇️https://t.co/pHNX1EQfay pic.twitter.com/vZti0WqcDq

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) November 22, 2023

He posted an ERA of 3.57 with a WHIP of 1.20. Lugo also added 140 strikeouts over 146.1 innings of work.

Lugo signed with the Padres last offseason with the promise to become a starting pitcher, and San Diego made good on that promise. He had extensively been a relief option in his previous spots, but he can now offer teams versatility going forward.

He chose San Diego over other solid options, believing that they would be able to help boost his value around the league. Both sides lived up to their side of the deal, and now Lugo is in line for a nice payday.

The veteran can give whichever team signs him a reliable pitcher each time out on the mound, and he would likely slot into the middle of the order in the rotation. Every team needs someone like Lugo within their pitching staff, and he more than earned a multi-year contract.

He declined his option with the Padres, so the expectation is that he is not returning to San Diego. But he was one of the main reasons why the Friars stayed alive in the postseason chase for as long as they did, and he will be remembered for that.