Royals Make Concerning Cole Ragans Announcement After Loss to Yankees
After a tremendous 2024 season, it would appear Cole Ragans just isn't the same this year. Despite owning a 2.28 ERA after his first four starts this season, Ragans now has a 5.18 ERA, and five of his last six starts have yielded four or more runs.
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Much of that was attributed to a groin injury that sidelined Ragans on May 16. When he returned June 5 against the Cardinals in St. Louis, his performance wasn't much better, as he yielded five runs in three innings in what was statistically his worst start of the season.
There might be a reason for Ragans' rough recent outing, and Royals fans aren't thrilled.
Kansas City Royals pitcher Cole Ragans throws a pitch against the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the ALDS at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 7, 2024.Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Ragans went back on the 15-day IL, this time with a rotator cuff strain, the team announced. Hard-throwing reliever Lucas Erceg, acquired at the 2024 trade deadline, was reinstated in a corresponding move.
The injury, which was retroactive to June 8, appears to be wholly unrelated to his previous groin injury, though it's possible that he injured his shoulder in an attempt to compensate for his injured leg.
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It's a big hit for the Royals' rotation, though rookie phenom Noah Cameron has dazzled in Ragans' place, and Kris Bubic has entered the All-Star conversation with his stellar performance of late.
One user on X pointed out that Ragans has been very unlucky statistically, with his expected ERA sitting at 2.60, and his 32.9% whiff percentage being an elite 91st percentile.
All of that doesn't matter if Ragans can't stay on the field, though, and Royals fans have reason to be worried about their ace, who started Game 1 of the American League Wild Card last fall.
Related: Yankees Trade Idea Sends Three-Time MLB Batting Champ to Bronx
Related: Royals Facing Decision on Top Prospect After Historic Win
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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