Cole Ragans clears hurdle toward eventual return to Royals. Details from Omaha
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- Cole Ragans threw 4⅓ innings in an Omaha rehab start allowing one run, three hits.
- Ragans is sidelined with a left elbow impingement stemming from Valgus Extension Overload.
- Upon his return, Ragans is expected to slot back into the starting rotation.
The Kansas City Royals hope to get All-Star ace pitcher Cole Ragans back from the 15-day injured list soon.
Manager Matt Quatraro shared some encouraging news on Sunday about the right-handed starter’s impending return.
“They said he felt good,” Quatraro said. “He held his velo. We’ll see — he is not back here yet this morning. We’ll see how he feels when he gets here, but everything was really encouraging from yesterday.”
Ragans pitched 4 1/3 innings in a rehab start with the Omaha Storm Chasers. He allowed three hits, including a solo homer to lead off the game, while walking a batter and registering three strikeouts. The home run was the only damage.
For the Royals, the biggest concern is obviously Ragans’ health. He remains sidelined with an impingement in his left elbow. He is experiencing Valgus Extension Overload (VEO), or “pitcher’s elbow.”
Ragans received a lubricant injection for the affected area. It was done to help loosen the stiffness around his elbow. And in recent days, he progressed his throwing program to make the rehab start.
The Royals haven’t shared what Ragans’ next steps might be as he works his way back to the majors. However, it’s possible that Ragans could be ready to return during the KC’s upcoming three-city road trip. That road swing begins after a three-game home series against the Yankees, which starts Monday and closes out the Royals’ current nine-game homestand.
“We’re going to discuss that today once we get a chance to talk to him,” Quatraro said.
Ragans owns a 4.84 ERA in eight starts this season. He’s allowed 10 homers in 35 1/3 innings but has maintained a strikeout rate of 11.5 per nine innings
Upon his return, Ragans will slot back into the rotation. The Royals are also missing left-handed starter Kris Bubic. He is dealing with elbow soreness and like Ragans is on the 15-day injured list.
There were encouraging signs for Ragans Saturday. The Royals were impressed with his strike-throwing and efficiency on the mound. He logged 44 of 68 pitches for strikes and had five groundball outs.
The fact that Ragans went back out to pitch the fifth inning was encouraging, too.
“I think that was a really good thing for him,” Quatraro said. “You know, just from the workload standpoint and from the confidence to know that sitting down and getting back up, he was good to go.”
The Royals have relied on right-hander Stephen Kolek to fill the void with starters missing from their usual rotation. Kolek was masterful on Saturday at The K against the Seattle Mariners, as he pitched a complete-game shutout.
It’s possible that Kolek remains in Kansas City once Ragans and Bubic return. However, Quatraro wouldn’t signal KC’s plans in that regard.
He did note, however, that Kolek has been instrumental in helping the Royals win games.
“It helps because he has been giving us really good starts,” Quatraro said. “It’s been a struggle for us to put wins together and he’s been a big part as the starting pitcher for the last two wins. So that’s been huge for us.
“I don’t want to speculate on what will happen when everybody’s back, because you start planning for something and something else happens. It’s not really worth thinking that far down the road yet.”
The Royals have lined up their rotation for the New York series that begins Monday. Seth Lugo started Sunday’s series finale against the Mariners, and KC plans to start Michael Wacha on Monday — Memorial Day — and Noah Cameron on Wednesday.
The Royals had yet to announce a starter for Tuesday’s game. It’s likely to be a bullpen game.
“We’ll piece it together based on what happens today,” Quatraro said prior to first pitch on Sunday.
This story was originally published May 24, 2026 at 1:25 PM with the headline "Cole Ragans clears hurdle toward eventual return to Royals. Details from Omaha."
