Here’s the Royals’ latest injury update on pitchers Cole Ragans, Carlos Estévez
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- Ragans sustained elbow discomfort Wednesday and will be monitored for a couple of days.
- Carlos Estévez was shut down for three weeks with a right rotator cuff strain.
- Royals have leaned on Lucas Erceg as closer, with 10 saves and league standing.
The Kansas City Royals’ valuable pitching depth is being tested at the moment.
Manager Matt Quatraro on Thursday offered a grim update regarding a pair of All-Star pitchers.
Left-handed starter Cole Ragans is dealing with Valgus Extension Overload (VEO), more commonly known as “pitcher’s elbow.” Closer Carlos Estévez, meanwhile, has a strained rotator cuff.
Injury update on Royals’ Cole Ragans
Ragans sustained his injury during his Wednesday start against the Cleveland Guardians.
He departed after three innings. He was initially diagnosed with left triceps and elbow discomfort.
The Royals planned to monitor Ragans’ situation for a couple of days before making a decision regarding his status for the future.
“We’ll see how he feels the next day and then we’ll decide what the next steps are,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.
Ragans has experienced elbow injuries in the past. He had Tommy John surgery twice and returned to the mound.
He said this injury is different, however. He said he had never felt discomfort in this particular spot on his elbow before.
“I’ve been through the elbow stuff,” he said after Wednesday’s game. “I know it’s not what I’ve been through before. So we’ll kind of do some other stuff and kind of go from there.”
Fellow Royals lefty Bailey Falter is nursing a similar injury. He is currently on a rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha.
Ragans has a 4.84 ERA in eight starts this season. He has allowed 10 homers in 35 1/3 innings and opponents have an .819 OPS against him.
Injury update on Royals’ Carlos Estévez
The Royals also provided an update on closer Estévez.
He exited early during a Wednesday rehab appearance with Triple-A Omaha. The team said he was experiencing right-shoulder discomfort.
Quatraro added more details Thursday. Estévez will be shut down for three weeks with a strained right rotator cuff. After that he’ll be re-evaluated.
“It stinks,” Quatraro said of Estévez’s injury diagnosis. “We were very hopeful that he would be getting back here quickly. And now that he’s not, that’s disappointing. …
“But knowing him, and knowing how he feels about the team and everything he tries to bring to the table, it’s extremely disappointing.”
Estévez hasn’t pitched since the opening series against the Atlanta Braves. He was hit by a line drive on his left foot. The injury sent him on the rehab assignment and now he is missing more time with rotator cuff strain.
This spring, Estévez dealt with low velocity. And he averaged 88-90 mph in his most recent appearance with the Omaha Storm Chasers. The Royals were confident his velocity would increase with improving health.
However, that hasn’t materialized. The goal now is for Estévez to return to full health this season.
The Royals have relied on Lucas Erceg in the closer role. He has 10 saves and is among the league leaders in that category.
This story was originally published May 7, 2026 at 6:55 PM with the headline "Here’s the Royals’ latest injury update on pitchers Cole Ragans, Carlos Estévez."
