The Kansas City Royals are off to a rocky start at 13-19, sitting at the bottom of the American League Central. While they're only 3.5 games behind the division-leading Cleveland Guardians (17-16), there's growing concern that the season could slip away. If that happens, the Royals might become sellers at the MLB trade deadline—and two veteran starters could be packing their bags.

According to a recent poll by MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, front-office executives are eyeing right-handed pitchers Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha as prime trade candidates. In the annual first-month survey of 20 team officials, both Lugo and Wacha received one vote each for "biggest name moved" by the Aug. 3 deadline.

It's no surprise that these two are on the radar. Starting pitchers often command strong returns, and both veterans have been delivering solid performances despite the team's struggles. Lugo, 36, boasts a sharp 2.63 ERA with 31 strikeouts over six starts this season. Wacha, 34, isn't far behind with a 3.13 ERA and 33 strikeouts in the same number of outings.

If the Royals continue to slide, trading away experienced arms like Lugo and Wacha could help restock their farm system for the future. Both are proven veterans who could bolster a contender's rotation down the stretch. For Kansas City, it might be a tough but necessary move to build long-term success.

As the trade deadline approaches, all eyes will be on the Royals' front office. Will they hold steady or make a move? Either way, Lugo and Wacha are names to watch.