Despite being the best team in the American League by record, the Kansas City Royals have plenty of work to do this trade deadline. Now that they’ve sent down struggling starter Yordano Ventura and Jason Vargas is injured again, acquiring starting pitching should be on the top of their laundry list.

One of the best starters on the market, Johnny Cueto, has been on the team’s radar for the last month or so and now it’s time to make a move for the ace. The team simply can’t afford to patch together starts anymore if they want home-field advantage throughout the playoffs in the American League.

That isn’t to say the Royals haven’t gotten solid performances from other pitchers this season. Newly acquired starter Edinson Volquez has been particularly good, going 8-5 with a 3.28 ERA. Another newcomer, Chris Young, has also been solid, but has slowed down lately. Young is 8-5 with a  3.03 ERA, but is 36 years old and prone to injury.

Cueto makes a ton of sense for a Royals team finally ready to seriously compete. That sounds strange given the fact the team was 90 feet from extra innings in Game 7, but they were playing with house money last season. This season, they’re playing more like a powerhouse and need to add pieces.

He would likely cost them one borderline elite prospect as well as a mid-level prospect, if not more. That’s well worth it given the position the Royals are in this season.

If Kansas City can find a way to bring in Cueto, they will instantly be the favorites in the American League. While Ventura figures it out in the minors and Vargas recovers from his most recent hiccup, they need someone to step up. Now it’s time to go outside the organization to get that someone.