Ragans is coming off a season that did not match the numbers he has posted across his career, but his value to Kansas City remains obvious. In 2025, he made 13 starts, logging 61.2 innings with a 4.67 ERA, 98 strikeouts, and a 1.18 WHIP. While that ERA was higher than his career 3.66 mark, the swing-and-miss ability remained intact.

Yes, the Royals were still top-five in runs allowed across Major League Baseball this year. But Ragans was such a tone-setter at the top of the rotation last year, and after he struck out 226 batters in 2024, no one on the Kansas City staff punched out more than 127 this year (Michael Lorenzen).

There's no telling how different the Kansas City Royals' season might have been had Cole Ragans never gotten injured. Ragans, the Royals' opening day starter and 2024 fourth-place Cy Young finisher, made only 10 starts this season before hitting the ...

Anne Rogers writes the Royals aren’t likely to deal Cole Ragans. “It would be really difficult for us to trade Cole,” general manager J.J. Picollo said Monday. “When Cole is right, he’s as good as anybody in the game.

Royals ace Cole Ragans is being linked to an AL East contender, fueling speculation that Kansas City could consider a blockbuster trade involving its rising star pitcher.

Sept 17: The Royals have formally reinstated Ragans from the 60-day IL. Righty Luinder Avila was optioned to Triple-A Omaha to open a spot on the active roster. Ragans’ reinstatement brings Kansas City’s 40-man roster to capacity. Ragans, 28 this ...