Two Royals players, including a KC native, undergo season-ending surgery
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- Ryan Bergert underwent Tommy John surgery to reconstruct his right UCL.
- Ben Kudrna had olecranon stress fracture fixation surgery and will miss the season.
- Both Royals pitchers were considered among the club’s depth starters.
The Kansas City Royals are dealing with multiple injuries across the organization.
On Wednesday, the Royals announced right-handers Ryan Bergert and Ben Kudrna had surgery after consultation with doctors.
Bergert, 25, underwent Tommy John surgery. The procedure was done to reconstruct the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow.
Kudrna had olecranon stress fracture fixation surgery.
Kudrna, 23, is from the Kansas City area. He attended Blue Valley Southwest High School in Overland Park. He began his professional career with the Royals after being selected in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft.
Both players are expected to miss the remainder of the season.
“I mean, it stinks,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Any time a guy gets hurt, they are going to miss significant time. It’s no fun because rehab is tough. You know, just the mental part of working your way back from that is not an easy thing. And these guys train all the time to compete. It’s not fun to hear.”
Bergert joined the Royals last season in a midseason trade. He was acquired alongside fellow pitcher Steven Kolek from the San Diego Padres. The club sent beloved catcher Freddy Fermin back in the deal.
The trade was beneficial for the Royals.
Bergert posted a 4.43 ERA in eight starts and was a reliable part of the starting rotation. He registered 39 strikeouts and just 17 walks in 40 ⅔ innings in 2025.
The Royals considered Bergert a part of their starting depth. He began the 2026 campaign with Triple-A Omaha after competing for the fifth starter spot in spring training.
Bergert made three starts with the Omaha Storm Chasers. However, he felt elbow discomfort and was placed on the injured list April 10.
The Royals will now turn to Kolek, Luinder Avila and Mitch Spence as the first options if a starter is needed at the big-league level.
“Obviously, he was a guy we would’ve considered to come up as a starter or a reliever,” Quatraro said of Bergert. “You know, we thought really highly of him. He did a tremendous job for us last year when we acquired him. So it does (hurt), but that’s why you’ve got to continue to build the depth.”
Kudrna was placed on the Royals’ 40-man roster this offseason. He is considered the club’s ninth-best prospect, per MLB.com.
This season, Kudrna made one start in Triple-A Omaha. However, he performed well with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals — the Royals’ Double-A affiliate — in 2025. Kudrna posted a 4.21 ERA in 94 innings with the club.
There was a chance Kudrna could’ve made his MLB debut in 2026. For now, the Royals will help them have a successful rehab while relying on their depth in the minors.
“There’s plenty of guys,” Quatraro said. “But every time you think you have enough, you need another one.”
This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 8:46 PM with the headline "Two Royals players, including a KC native, undergo season-ending surgery."
