If the 2026 season for the Royals couldn't get any worse, the last blow might have just been dealt. Currently sitting tied with the Colorado Rockies for the worst record in baseball at 35-53 (.398), Kansas City has little room for error if any hopes of a playoff berth still remain within the ballclub. Both the pitching and batting have faltered as the season's gone on, and while reinforcements seemed imminent on the mound, Cole Ragans won't be returning to action for quite a while.
Royals manager Matt Quatraro relayed to reporters on Thursday that 28-year-old ace pitcher Cole Ragans underwent a UCL repair in his left elbow that will keep him sidelined for another 10-12 months. It's an injury that the left-handed Ragans sustained in early May and hadn't been able to ramp up back to action much at all. It left the Royals perplexed as to what the ailment was and how serious.
Unfortunately, the questions have been answered as this injury was worse than anyone expected and will now keep Ragans out not only for the remainder of this season, but for at least the entire first half of next year as well. What this means for the Royals' starting rotation is simple. Not good. What it means for Cole Ragans' future career aspirations might be even worse.
Cole Ragans UCL repair surgery is a massive loss for KC and a career-altering injury for the LHP.
Ragans came to the Royals by way of a trade with the Texas Rangers prior to the 2023 season. He had played and started in just nine games and posted a subpar 4.95 ERA. His first year in Kansas City was mainly acclimating to becoming a full-time starter, and in 2024, his second campaign with the Royals, Ragans broke out completely, making his first All-Star appearance and coming fourth in Cy Young voting. He pitched 186 innings over 32 starts with an impressive 3.14 ERA and 4.97 WAR.
After that, there was no second thought within the franchise of awarding Ragans with a three-year contract extension, keeping their newfound ace starter with the team for years to come. But since then, over the course of two seasons, Ragans, when playing, has done well, but it's been rare for him to stick on the mound for any extended period of time.
His 2025-26 seasons combined have seen him start just 21 games for 97 innings and a 4.75 ERA. He suffered a groin strain and rotator cuff strain at separate points of the 2025 season, and now, with the major UCL surgery, questions about Ragans' health going forward are many. Not to mention, he enters the final year of his three-year deal next season, where it's unknown how much he will actually be able to compete in.
The Royals are clearly in a rough spot overall when it comes to having multiple reliable starting pitchers. But for Ragans, the situation is tenfold worse. He's the one who has to deal with the lengthy rehab and sit out when he knows he could have been helping his team on the field. Being able to accrue enough trust from any franchise to give him a new pricey contract will be an uphill climb for the former All-Star.
Add us as a preferred source on Google