RADIO
Cole Ragans Expected to Start a Rehab Assignment on Saturday
The Kansas City Royals expect left-hander Cole Ragans (elbow) to start a minor-league rehab assignment on Saturday with Triple-A Omaha. Ragans has finally been cleared to return to game action after throwing some bullpen sessions in the last week. Saturday will be his first performance since he was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 6 with a left-elbow impingement. The talented southpaw is expected to need a couple of rehab starts in the minors before the Royals put him back in their big-league starting rotation. The 28-year-old left-hander was excellent in 2024, going 11-9 for the Royals with a 3.14 ERA (2.99 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with a career-high 223 strikeouts and 67 walks in 186 1/3 innings over 32 starts, but he made only 13 starts last year due to injury, and the injury bug has reared its head for him again in 2026. Ragans was 1-4 in his first eight starts in 2026 before going on the IL with a 4.84 ERA (6.19 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP, but he also had 45 K's in 35 1/3 frames and should remain stashed in an IL spot in most fantasy leagues while he recovers to see if he can rediscover his 2024 form.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Cole Ragans to Throw Another Bullpen Session This Week
Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (elbow) threw a 30-pitch bullpen session in Kansas City on Sunday that went as expected, according to MLB.com. If all goes well with Ragans when he plays catch on Monday and Tuesday, he will throw another bullpen on Tuesday. Ragans was placed on the 15-day injured list on May 8 with a left-elbow impingement, but he could return to KC's starting rotation by the end of May if he can avoid any setbacks. It's unclear as of now if the Royals will want to see Ragans go on a minor-league rehab assignment. Despite being limited to only 13 starts in 2025 due to injuries and dealing with the injury bug again early in 2026, Ragans is still rostered in over 90% of Yahoo leagues for his strikeout upside. He has a 1-4 record and 4.84 ERA (6.18 FIP) through his first eight starts of this season, but he also has 45 strikeouts and 23 walks in his 35 1/3 innings pitched. Ragans was money for fantasy managers in 2024, recording a career-high 223 strikeouts with a 3.14 ERA across 32 starts in his first full season with the Royals.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Royals Place Kris Bubic on Injured List With Elbow Soreness
The Kansas City Royals announced on Monday that they placed left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow) on the 15-day injured list with left-elbow soreness and recalled right-hander Eli Morgan from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. Bubic struggled in his last start on May 14 in a loss against the division-rival Chicago White Sox, allowing a season-high five earned runs on five hits (one homer) while walking three and striking out four in just four innings of work. It's unclear if he'll need more than a minimum stay on the IL. After his last rough outing, the 28-year-old southpaw is 3-2 on the season with a 4.11 ERA (3.71 FIP) and 1.23 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 26 walks in 50 1/3 innings pitched across nine starts for KC. Bubic was a first-time All-Star in 2025 in his sixth season in the big leagues with the Royals, when he went 8-7 with a career-low 2.55 ERA (2.89 FIP), 1.18 WHIP, and 116:39 K:BB in 116 1/3 innings across his 20 starts. Right now, he's rostered in 71% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Cole Ragans Making Headway in Rehab
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans (elbow) is making progress while rehabbing his injured elbow. Manager Matt Quatraro said that the 28-year-old has been playing catch with increased intensity, velocity, and volume. He also threw a few pitches off the mound, likely testing his arm to see if it could withstand the increased workload. While this should not be confused with a bullpen session, it is a good sign that he is likely ready to advance to that stage of his recovery soon. The hope is that he can progress to a formal bullpen session after playing catch once more. The left-hander has been out of action since May 8 with a left elbow impingement. His return will not be rushed, as he is arguably Kansas City's best pitcher both now and for the future.
Source: Jaylon T. Thompson
Source: Jaylon T. Thompson
Michael Wacha a Sell-High Candidate?
Kansas City Royals veteran right-hander Michael Wacha hit a rough patch in a two-start stretch on April 22 and April 29 against the Baltimore Orioles and Athletics, respectively, allowing a combined 10 earned runs on 15 hits (two homers) while walking six and striking out 10 in 10 1/3 innings. Outside of those two bad outings, though, Wacha has produced a quality start in each of his other six starts this year, including just two earned runs given up with three walks and nine punchouts in 14 innings in his last two outings versus the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers. The 34-year-old 14-year MLB veteran is currently 4-2 with a 2.63 ERA (3.85 FIP) and 0.99 WHIP with 42 strikeouts and 17 walks in 51 1/3 innings in his third year with the Royals as he heads into his next start on Friday against his former squad, the St. Louis Cardinals. Although Wacha, who doesn't throw hard, hasn't had an ERA over 4.00 since 2021, he's a sell-high candidate in fantasy because of his lack of strikeout upside. Wacha currently sports a 20.9% strikeout rate, which ranks in the 43rd percentile, and his xwOBA ranks in the 63rd percentile through the first month and a half.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Cole Ragans Playing Catch, Still Considered Day-to-Day
Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (elbow), who is on the 15-day injured list with a right-elbow impingement, played catch on Sunday and again on Tuesday, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Manager Matt Quatraro said that both of Ragans' throwing sessions went well, but Tuesday's was better, which is a good sign. He is still considered day-to-day based on how he feels, but the expectation is that Ragans will play catch again on Wednesday. The 28-year-old southpaw isn't expected to have a lengthy stay on the IL, and he should be stashed in all fantasy leagues while he recovers. Ragans, a former first-rounder by the Texas Rangers in 2016, wasn't pitching all that well before his injury -- he went 1-4 with a 4.84 ERA (6.20 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP -- but he also had 45 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings over his eight starts. He carries intriguing strikeout upside, even though injuries have bothered him since his first All-Star campaign in 2024. Ragans is currently rostered in 93% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
Kris Bubic a Prime Sell-High Candidate Amidst Current Hot Streak?
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic is off to a strong start to the 2026 season, as he's posted a 3-1 record with a 3.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 47 strikeouts across 46 1/3 innings (eight starts). Bubic has pitched particularly well of late, allowing just five earned runs while striking out 18 in 17 2/3 innings over his last three outings. However, Bubic's profile contains some red flags. For one, his 12.3% walk rate is unsustainably poor and points to likely WHIP regression. Additionally, Bubic missed the final two months of the 2025 season with a rotator cuff strain in his left shoulder. While he's managed to stay on the mound so far in 2026, his average fastball velocity is down to 92.1 miles per hour, and he's reached 100 innings in a season just once since 2022. Fantasy managers may be wise to consider selling high on Bubic in the midst of his current hot streak.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
