The Royals starting rotation could suprise this year.
The Kansas City Royals went 82-80 in 2025, finishing third in the AL Central, and a big reason they missed the postseason was a rotation that couldn't stay healthy.
Heading into 2026, manager Matt Quatraro wants to keep things simple with his starting five.
With the rotation order officially set behind Cole Ragans' Opening Day start on March 27 in Atlanta, Michael Wacha will follow on March 28, Seth Lugo on March 29, Kris Bubic gets the ball for the home opener on March 30 against the Twins, and Noah Cameron rounds things out on April 1.
That means three lefties will pitch in a row with Bubic, Cameron, and then Ragans again, but Quatraro told MLB.com's Anne Rogers that he's not worried about it.
"You can try to plan that out for five series, six series, whatever, but if there's a rain delay or you don't match up with the team you thought -- it's just [about], 'Let's get the guys going,'" Quatraro said. "If we were going to split them up one more day, it's going to turn around again where there's two lefties in a row. We don't want to overthink that. We have confidence in all those guys. So much is made of who's your No. 1 and who's your No. 5. If they all make 30-plus starts, we're happy."
A Rotation Built on Depth and Balance
That last line is the key to everything.
The Royals used 12 different starters in the second half of 2025 alone, thanks to injuries that wiped out big chunks of their best arms' seasons.
Ragans was limited to just 13 starts after a rotator cuff strain kept him out for over three months, and Bubic's All-Star first half ended in July with a shoulder injury of his own.
Lugo battled through a rough August that saw his ERA jump to 4.15 on the year, and the Royals were forced to add reinforcements at the deadline just to stay competitive.
If everyone stays on the field in 2026, though, this group has the kind of ceiling that could surprise a lot of people.
Ragans looked dominant in his three September starts when he returned, posting a 2.77 ERA with 22 strikeouts in 13 innings, and his 38.1% strikeout rate was the best in baseball among pitchers who made at least 10 starts.
Wacha was the team's most reliable arm in 2025, logging 31 starts and a 3.86 ERA across 172.2 innings while reaching double-digit wins for the fourth straight year.
Why the Starters Could Surprise
The wild cards in this group are Bubic and Cameron. Bubic earned his first All-Star nod in 2025 thanks to a 2.55 ERA through 20 starts, and a healthy version of him gives Kansas City a legitimate second ace behind Ragans.
Cameron, meanwhile, quietly put together one of the best rookie seasons in the American League, finishing with a 2.99 ERA and 114 strikeouts across 24 starts while finishing fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting.
The Royals also have Bailey Falter in the bullpen as a long reliever who can step in for spot starts, along with depth arms like Stephen Kolek and Ryan Bergert at Triple-A Omaha.
Kansas City's starters posted a 3.80 ERA in 2025 despite all the injuries, which was seventh-best in baseball.
If Quatraro gets what he's asking for and all five guys make 30-plus starts, this rotation has the talent to be one of the best in the American League.