RADIO
Cole Ragans' Injury Issues Make Him Tough to Trust
Since his breakout season in 2024, Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (elbow) has basically been a non-factor for fantasy managers. The 28-year-old pitched just 35 1/3 innings (eight starts) in 2026 before hitting the injured list with triceps and elbow soreness. Ragans initially attempted to rehab his arm, but he suffered a setback in June and ultimately underwent an internal brace procedure in July. As a result, Ragans missed the remainder of the 2026 season and will likely miss a significant chunk of 2027 as well. On the bright side, Ragans may finally be able to work his way back to full health and regain his peak form while he rehabs from the surgery. However, the talented southpaw is tough for fantasy managers to trust until he gets back on the mound and proves he can stay healthy for an extended stretch of time.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tony Gonsolin Signs Deal with Royals
The Kansas City Royals signed starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin to a one-year deal with a club option for the 2027 season on Thursday. The right-hander hasn't pitched at all this season while he rehabs from Tommy John surgery he underwent last August. Gonsolin is nearing the final stages of his recovery process and should be back on the mound soon. He has been placed on the 15-day Injured List while he continues to get fully healthy. It's unclear when he'll make his season debut, but right-hander Eli Morgan has been designated for assignment in a corresponding move. The Royals are hopeful that Gonsolin can bounce back and be an option for them in their 2027 rotation. Gonsolin was an All-Star in 2022, but he hasn't looked the same on the mound since then. He can be ignored in fantasy formats right now.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Dodgers Acquire Injured Lefty Kris Bubic in Trade With Royals
The Los Angeles Dodgers are adding another left-handed starting pitcher at the trade deadline by acquiring left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow, shoulder) from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for right-hander Carlos Duran on Monday, sources told Jeff Passan of ESPN. It pales in comparison to L.A.'s blockbuster deal to land two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night, but the addition of the 28-year-old Bubic will give their rotation even more depth for the stretch run if he can bounce back from elbow and shoulder injuries that have kept him sidelined since all the way back on May 18. Even if Bubic makes it back at the tail end of the second half of the season, he probably won't have a spot in the Dodgers' suddenly crowded starting rotation once lefty Blake Snell (elbow) and right-hander Tyler Glasnow (back) return. Bubic, a former first-rounder, was a first-time All-Star in 2025 with a career-best 2.55 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 116:39 K:BB in 20 starts. He wasn't fully healthy, though, and he's made only nine starts in 2026 while dealing with more arm injuries, which has tanked his fantasy value. Currently, Bubic is only rostered in 34% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Source: ESPN.com - Jeff Passan
Stephen Kolek Placed on 15-Day Injured List With Flexor Strain
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Stephen Kolek (elbow) was reinstated from the family medical leave list on Sunday. He was immediately placed on the 15-day injured list due to a right flexor strain. It sounds like Kolek suffered the injury during a rehab outing with Triple-A Omaha on Saturday. It's unclear how long Kolek is going to be sidelined with this issue. The right-hander hasn't made an appearance with the big league club since July 2. This season, Kolek owns a 4.50 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 34/12 K/BB ratio across 10 starts this season. There is no timetable available for Kolek, but he likely won't be back until some point in August.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Kris Bubic Could Begin a Throwing Program Soon
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic (elbow/shoulder) could begin a new throwing program soon. After missing his rehab start on July 1 due to shoulder soreness, the left-hander received a cortisone injection and is now nearly ready to begin a new throwing program. Already on the Injured List with a previous bout of left elbow soreness, Bubic developed left shoulder discomfort following a bout of arm fatigue and a rehab start in which he allowed six runs on eight hits and one walk while recording just four outs. With two significant injuries to manage, it is unclear what his throwing program will entail, but it will likely be slow-moving and carefully monitored. While this is a positive development, it remains unclear whether he will pitch again this season.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Michael Wacha Limited By Strikeout Ceiling?
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha is still useful, but he looks more like a ratio helper than a pitcher to chase for the stretch run. The 35-year-old is 5-6 with a 3.48 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 96 strikeouts over 119 innings. That line plays in plenty of leagues, and he kept the New York Mets mostly in check on Thursday, allowing two earned runs over 4 1/3 innings with five strikeouts. The issue is that there is not much extra fantasy ceiling here. Wacha's 20.6% strikeout rate and 3.97 FIP are fine, but not enough to make him a real difference-maker if the ratios slide. He also allowed three homers in his previous start against the Philadelphia Phillies, so there is some damage risk. With a 67% Yahoo roster rate, Wacha is fine to hold, but worth shopping if another manager pays for the ERA.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Stephen Kolek Placed on Family Medical Emergency List
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Stephen Kolek (personal) was placed on the family medical emergency list on Saturday. Kolek will step away from the team for a period of time due to family matters. He was scheduled to take the ball against the New York Mets next week, but it's unclear if that's still going to happen. This season, Kolek owns a 4.50 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 34:12 K:BB ratio across 10 starts with the Royals. He has been tagged for 12 earned runs over his last two starts, so hopefully he'll get back on track after the All-Star break. In a corresponding move, right-hander Jose Cuas has been recalled to take the spot on the active roster.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Kris Bubic Receives Injection, Shut Down 7-10 Days
Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow) received a cortisone injection on Thursday and will be shut down for the next seven to 10 days, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Bubic's timeline for a return from the 60-day injured list is still to be determined, and the Royals will see how he feels when he starts to ramp up. KC initially placed the 28-year-old southpaw on the IL on May 18 with soreness in his left elbow, but then he suffered from left-shoulder soreness after starting a minor-league rehab assignment. The Royals moved him to the 60-day IL on Wednesday. Bubic still has a ways to go before potentially returning to the big-league roster, and in a best-case scenario, he probably won't be back until August, if at all, in the second half. The Royals really need him back, though, after losing fellow left-hander Cole Ragans (elbow) for the rest of the 2026 season due to UCL surgery. Bubic was a first-time All-Star in 2025 and was 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA (3.72 FIP) and 1.23 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 26 walks in 50 1/3 frames across nine starts.
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
Cole Ragans Undergoes UCL Repair, Likely Out Until Midseason in 2027
Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (elbow) underwent a UCL repair on his left elbow on Wednesday, according to MLB.com's Anne Rogers. It's what the Royals feared but ultimately expected, and now Ragans is looking at being out until midseason next year. Ragans will now officially miss the remainder of the 2026 campaign, so fantasy managers who have been holding him in single-year leagues can finally cut him. The 28-year-old southpaw broke out in 2024 by going 11-9 with a 3.14 ERA (2.99 FIP) and 1.14 WHIP with 223 strikeouts and 67 walks in 186 1/3 innings across a career-high 32 starts, but he has battled injuries since and will finish his 2026 campaign with only eight starts. In those eight starts, Ragans went 1-4 with a 4.84 ERA (6.19 FIP) and 1.41 WHIP, but he fanned 45 and walked 23 in 35 1/3 innings pitched. He'll obviously be off the fantasy radar in redraft leagues going into the 2027 season since he will miss the entire first half.
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
Stephen Kolek Reinstated and Starting on Thursday
The Kansas City Royals announced that they reinstated right-hander Stephen Kolek from the family medical emergency list and optioned right-hander Jose Cuas to Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. Kolek will return to start against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, and he'll be pitching on 10 days of rest after originally being placed on the paternity list. The 29-year-old will be sufficiently rested, but it also means he could be on a strict pitch count. The former 11th-round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018 out of Texas A&M University is 4-2 with a 4.15 ERA (4.55 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with 34 strikeouts and 11 walks in 52 innings across nine starts in his first full season with the Royals. Kolek has been a decent deep-league streamer based on matchups, but we wouldn't suggest him here against the first-place Rays after skipping two turns in the Royals' rotation. In his last outing, Kolek allowed a season-high nine earned runs on nine hits (three homers) while walking one and striking out none in 1 2/3 innings in a loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Royals Transfer Kris Bubic to 60-Day Injured List After Setback
The Kansas City Royals announced on Wednesday that they transferred left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow, shoulder) to the 60-day injured list after it was announced earlier in the day that he was heading back to KC to be evaluated after being scratched from his scheduled minor-league rehab start. Bubic was initially placed on the 15-day IL on May 15 with soreness in his left elbow before encountering a setback in mid-June due to left-shoulder discomfort. Something else popped up this week, and now Bubic probably won't be an option to rejoin the Royals' starting rotation until August. Given that this is his second setback in his recovery, there's the potential for the 28-year-old southpaw to join fellow lefty Cole Ragans (elbow) in being shut down for the rest of the season. Bubic was a first-time All-Star in 2025 in his sixth year in the league and was 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA (3.72 FIP) and 1.23 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 26 walks in 50 1/3 innings across his nine starts earlier this year. He's now rostered in under 50% of Yahoo leagues with no timetable for a return in the second half.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Kris Bubic Dealing With Setback, Scratched From Rehab Start
Kansas City Royals senior vice president Scott Sharp said that left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow, shoulder) will be scratched from his minor-league rehab start on Wednesday night, according to Sports Radio 810. Bubic will return to Kansas City for further evaluation, and there is no timetable for his return from the 15-day injured list. The 28-year-old southpaw has been on the shelf since being placed on the IL in the middle of May with soreness in his left elbow, and he was pulled off his rehab in mid-June due to discomfort in his left shoulder. Bubic has avoided any structural damage in his elbow or shoulder, but because he hasn't been able to take the next step in his return, the Royals will have another look. At the very least, Bubic won't return to KC's starting rotation until late July in a best-case scenario. The former first-rounder in 2018 out of Stanford University was 3-2 earlier this year before his elbow injury with a 4.11 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 51 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings pitched over nine starts. Bubic has mixed-league fantasy value when healthy, but his uncertain timetable makes his second-half outlook very cloudy.
Source: Sports Radio 810
Source: Sports Radio 810
Stephen Kolek Moved to Family Medical Emergency List
The Kansas City Royals announced on Tuesday that right-hander Stephen Kolek has been transferred from the paternity list to the family medical emergency list. Kolek missed his last start on Friday in a matchup against the Chicago White Sox, and he could now miss another start this Thursday against the Tampa Bay Rays. It's unclear if his move to the family medical emergency list is at all related to his paternity leave, and it's unclear when Kolek might rejoin KC's starting rotation. The 29-year-old former 11th-round pick by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018 out of Texas A&M University has only made nine starts (52 innings) in 2026 in his first full season with the Royals, going 4-2 with a 4.15 ERA (4.54 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with 34 strikeouts and 11 walks. With a career strikeout rate of just 16.9%, Kolek is primarily a low-upside, matchup-based streamer in deeper fantasy baseball leagues. If he rejoins the team soon and starts on Thursday against Tampa, we wouldn't recommend using him as a streamer.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Kris Bubic Throws Two Scoreless Innings in Second Rehab Start
Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow) had another successful minor-league rehab appearance for Triple-A Omaha on Saturday, tossing two scoreless innings with two hits allowed, no walks, and no strikeouts against Triple-A Columbus. In his first rehab outing on Wednesday with the Storm Chasers, the 28-year-old southpaw threw a perfect inning. He is slowly working his way back after being placed on the 15-day injured list on May 18 with soreness in his left elbow. Bubic was nearing a return before being shut down with discomfort in his left shoulder after a rehab appearance on June 9. Based on how slowly his rehab assignment is currently going, it's unlikely that Bubic will be fully stretched out enough to rejoin the Royals' starting rotation before the All-Star break in mid-July. The former first-rounder in 2018 out of Stanford University should be an option for fantasy managers in deep-mixed leagues, at the very least, when he comes off the IL next month. Before injuring his elbow, Bubic went 3-2 with a 4.11 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 51 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings pitched over his nine starts. He was a first-time All-Star in 2025, 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 and 20 starts.
Source: Milb.com
Source: Milb.com
Cole Ragans to Have Elbow Surgery Next Wednesday
Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (elbow) will have elbow surgery on Wednesday, July 1, with Dr. Neal ElAttrache, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. The extent of the surgery will be determined once ElAttrache gets inside to see exactly what's going on with Ragans' elbow. We'll have a better idea of Ragans' timetable for a return next Wednesday, but it's possible that he won't be able to return for the rest of the 2026 season and the first half of next year. The 28-year-old southpaw initially landed on the 15-day injured list in early May with an elbow impingement, and he has since been moved to the 60-day IL. He's still rostered in 74% of Yahoo leagues, but that number could be dropping drastically if his elbow surgery next week is season-ending. Even if his elbow procedure is minimal, we probably won't see Ragans until at least August. The former 30th overall pick by the Texas Rangers in 2016 was a first-time All-Star in 2024, but he's made just 21 starts since the start of the 2025 campaign due to injuries. Ragans had a 4.84 ERA and 1.41 WHIP in his eight starts in 2026 before elbow issues cropped up, but he also fanned 45 in 35 1/3 innings pitched.
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
Source: MLB.com - Anne Rogers
