Kris Bubic makes spring debut. It’s a major step in his return to the Royals
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Bubic returned to Cactus League action, tossing two innings with three strikeouts.
- Royals will give him more reps as he builds toward the regular season.
- Final contract year adds stakes as Royals seek rotation depth for AL Central.
Kansas City Royals starter Kris Bubic summed up his first Cactus League appearance in a few distinct words:
Free and easy.
Bubic hadn’t pitched in a game since July. His last start came against the Cleveland Guardians — he allowed four runs in 2 ⅔ innings — before departing early due to left shoulder discomfort.
After a medical evaluation, Bubic was diagnosed with a left rotator cuff strain. He didn’t require surgery, but he was shut down for months. The Royals moved forward as Bubic began a long road to recovery.
On Sunday, Bubic stepped onto the pitcher’s mound again. Bubic pitched two innings against the Milwaukee Brewers at Surprise Stadium. He allowed four hits and one run but registered three strikeouts.
Bubic threw 31 pitches in the start. He averaged 91.9 mph with his fastball and showcased his changeup, slider, sinker and sweeper.
Afterward, he said he didn’t have any pain from the outing.
“I definitely felt I got more in the tank,” Bubic told reporters in Surprise, Arizona. “First outing, it’s good to get my legs underneath me again and get into the speed of the game. I felt like we were attacking the zone. A couple of hard hits early, but was able to mix in everything. A good amount of whiff — especially with the changeup — so it was good to see.”
Bubic is in his final year of his contract. He can elect to enter free agency after the 2026 season, and that places a timeline for both sides.
This offseason, Bubic won his arbitration hearing. He will now try to help the Royals win the American League Central and return to the playoffs.
“It’s a good first step for me to get back in games,” Bubic said. “Get the first one out of the way and go from there.”
Bubic was at his best in 2025. He made his first All-Star appearance and was in AL Cy Young consideration early in the season.
At times, Bubic pitched like a frontline ace. He finished with a 3.1 WAR (wins above replacement) alongside a 2.55 ERA in 116 ⅓ innings pitched.
However, Bubic understands he needs to remain consistent and healthy for the Royals to reach their goals.
“Every year is different to me,” Bubic said. “I think we came out so hot out of the gate last year and that was a cool feeling. But at the same time, I want to be available for a full year.”
Bubic knows he is capable of making a full slate of starts. He has done so earlier in his career with the Royals. However, this season does add another layer of intrigue given his impending free agency.
And Bubic is ready to make his mark.
He worked on his sinker and “gyro” slider this offseason to refine the effectiveness of both pitches. On Sunday, Bubic generated a total of five swings with the pitch duo, per Baseball Savant.
Bubic wants to build confidence with his offseason work. He focused on throwing the slider to right-handed batters in pivotal two-strike counts. As for the sinker, he wants to present it to lefties and keep the arm-side of home plate covered.
Royals manager Matt Quatraro was impressed with Bubic’s command Sunday. He felt there were a lot of positives to take away from his first spring outing.
“It was good depth on his off-speed stuff,” Quatraro said. “I’m sure he wasn’t thrilled to give up some hard-hit balls. He threw the ball with conviction. And when he had guys on-base, he mixed up his tempo and timing. I was really encouraged.”
The Royals will get Bubic more reps this spring. The plan is to continue to help him build up as the regular season begins later this month.
Pitching is a strength for the Royals. And if Bubic can return to his All-Star form — as he showed in 2025 — the Royals could find themselves in a strong position in the AL Central.
“I know I’m capable of doing it,” Bubic said of staying healthy all season. “It’s just a matter of going out and doing it again.”
This story was originally published March 2, 2026 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Kris Bubic makes spring debut. It’s a major step in his return to the Royals."
