Royals Dealt Crushing Blow With All-Star Ruled Out For Season

The Kansas City Royals got an update on Kris Bubic on Monday, and the news couldn't have been much worse.

Bubic had a rough start on Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians, and immediately, one could smell trouble. He walked four batters in only 2 2/3 innings, was quickly pulled from the game, and then was placed on the 15-day injured list the next day with a strained rotator cuff.

As unfortunate as that initial 24-hour period was, nothing could have prepared the Royals for the update that followed on Monday. According to the team, Bubic is expected to miss the rest of the season.

Once a first-round pick in 2018, Bubic had been enjoying a long-awaited breakout season. He finishes the year 8-7 with a 2.55 ERA in 20 starts. In 116 1/3 innings pitched, he struck out 116 batters and walked 39.

Coming into spring training, it wasn't a lock that Bubic would earn the fifth spot in the rotation. Had Alec Marsh not gotten hurt, things might have been different. But Bubic won that spot easily, and he quickly became Kansas City's best starter, which was highly unexpected given that Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo were All-Stars last season.

For Bubic, it's a painful setback, especially as he enters his final year of team control in 2026. For the Royals, it's just as painful, as the team just decided to lock up Seth Lugo to a two-year extension and continue its playoff push despite a 52-54 record.

Ragans returning from the 60-day injured list could help, but this is now a Royals rotation that looks significantly undermanned heading into August.

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