Will Ragans pitch well this season?
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans features one of the highest ceilings among southpaws in the sport. The 2025 season was a difficult one for Ragans, as he turned in a 4.67 ERA while being limited to only 13 outings on the mound. With the Royals wanting to compete in 2026, Talkin' Jake of Talkin' Baseball believes Ragans will need to step up in order for Kansas City to reach its goals.
"The player, for me, that needs to step up on this Royals team to really make the difference, for me it is Cole Ragans," Talkin' Jake said.
The Royals need a true ace in the starting rotation. Kansas City features other reliable starters such as Kris Bubic and Michael Wacha. Without Ragans, there is no true leader of the rotation, though. Sure, Seth Lugo was impressive a couple of seasons ago, but Ragans is the guy with the ace-caliber ceiling.
Talkin' Jake made a similar point, suggesting that Ragans' performance/availability will play a significant role in determining how well the Royals perform in 2026. Of course, avoiding injuries is out of his control. He can do everything he can to stay healthy, but sometimes injury concerns surface nonetheless. Both Kansas City and Ragans are hoping that the left-hander can have a healthier 2026 campaign.
What to Expect From Cole Ragans in 2026 if He is Healthy
As far as performance is concerned, there is reason to believe that Ragans can bounce back. He was limited in 2025 and never found his groove on the mound. In 2024, this was a pitcher who finished fourth in American League Cy Young voting after recording a 3.14 ERA, 223 strikeouts and a league leading 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings.
He is still only 28 years old. Decline likely won't be an issue anytime soon. The only thing that can realistically limit Ragans is an injury. Otherwise, a healthy Ragans spells trouble for opposing hitters.
Overall, the Royals seem to believe they can make a postseason run during the upcoming season. This was a ball club that reached the playoffs in 2024. In 2025, they missed the postseason, but the possibility of a bounce back certainly remains.
It will likely start with Cole Ragans' performance on the mound, though. If he can find his 2024 form, then the Royals will surely find themselves in Wild Card contention at the very least down the stretch.
They will be a team worth closely watching throughout the 2026 campaign.