Royals' Cole Ragans: Struggles with command in loss
Rotowire
Ragans (7-5) took the loss Thursday, allowing four runs on five hits and four walks over 6.1 innings against the Tigers. He struck out eight.
Ragans shut out the Tigers over the first six innings, but ran into trouble in the bottom of the seventh after allowing a single and back-to-back walks. The lefty would eventually be charged with four runs in the frame, though two of those runs came across after he was relieved by Carlos Hernandez. Ragans has allowed four or more runs in two of his last three starts, though this was the third consecutive outing in which he's gone at least six innings. He's also issued four walks in back-to-back starts.
... See More... See Less
Royals' Cole Ragans: Earns seventh win
Rotowire
Ragans (7-4) yielded two runs on three hits and four walks over six innings Friday, striking out five and picking up a win over Houston.
Ragans gave up a run in each of the first two innings but was able to limit the damage in his quality start. It was a solid rebound after the Astros tagged him for five runs in his last appearance, but he's now walked 12 batters over his last 17.2 frames. Ragans owns a 2.34 ERA and an 81:23 K:BB in 11 starts since joining the Royals. He's lined up to take the mound in Detroit next week for his final start of the season.
... See More... See Less
Royals' Cole Ragans: Fans seven in no-decision
Rotowire
Ragans came away with a no-decision Saturday, surrendering five runs on six hits and two walks over six-plus innings as the Royals downed the Astros 10-8. He struck out seven.
The southpaw blanked Houston for four innings before beginning to unravel, but after putting the first two batters aboard in the seventh, Ragans still left the mound in line for his seventh win before Collin Snider served up a game-tying homer to Jose Altuve. Ragans has been a revelation since being acquired from Texas in the Aroldis Chapman deal, delivering a 2.28 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 76:19 K:BB through 59.1 innings over his first 10 starts for Kansas City. He lines up for a rematch with the Astros back in Houston next weekend.
... See More... See Less
Royals' Cole Ragans: Dominates in sixth win
Rotowire
Ragans (6-4) earned the win Monday against the White Sox, allowing two runners (one hit and one hit-by-pitch) over six scoreless innings. He struck out seven.
Ragans' amazing break out continued Monday afternoon as he retired the first 13 batters faced. In total, he only had to face 19 total batters to record 18 outs while generating 22 swings-and-misses. Ragans has been elite since debuting for the Royals on July 15. In eight starts since then, he's had a 1.51 ERA and 11.9 K/9 over 47.2 innings.
... See More... See Less
Royals' Cole Ragans: Possible waiver wire pickups
Rotowire
It must be said that Ragans' latest start came against an Athletics lineup that's statistically the worst in baseball. But that doesn't explain him adding another 2 mph to a fastball that was already up 4 mph from last year, peaking at 101. It's simply unfair that he would choose this start to find this next gear, but since being recalled by the Royals Aug. 2, it hasn't much mattered who he's facing. He has a 2.12 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 13.3 K/9 across those five starts, striking out at least eight in four of them and 11 in two of them. The velocity jump -- one of the biggest ever recorded -- came from an offseason working out with Tread Athletics, but it's the introduction of a slider since joining the Royals that seems to have brought it all together. Time to buy in everywhere if you haven't already.
... See More... See Less
Royals' Cole Ragans: Comes back to Earth
Rotowire
Ragans (3-4) took the loss Saturday, allowing four runs on seven hits and four walks over five innings against St. Louis. He struck out five.
Ragans made his fourth start of the season Saturday and entered the contest having allowed just two runs in 17.2 innings to go along with a 22:4 K:BB as a starter, but he struggled mightily against the Cardinals. He served up four runs while setting a season high in walks and tying his season high in hits allowed. Ragans is tentatively scheduled for a start against the Cubs at Wrigley Field next week.
... See More... See Less
Royals' Cole Ragans: Remains in rotation
Rotowire
Ragans is scheduled to start Monday's series opener against the Red Sox at Fenway Park, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.
Kansas City ranks 27th in the majors this season with a 5.19 ERA from its starting pitchers, so Ragans will unsurprisingly stick around in the rotation after he submitted a gem of an outing his last time out Wednesday against the Mets. In that start -- his second of the season after he tossed five innings of one-run ball against the Rays on July 15 -- Ragans struck out eight over six shutout frames and scattered seven hits and one walk. He'll tentatively line up for two starts this week, with his second turn likely to come Saturday versus the Cardinals at Kauffman Stadium.
... See More... See Less
Royals' Cole Ragans: Possible waiver wire pickups
Rotowire
If I'm claiming in my case for Nick Pivetta that the well has run dry at starting pitcher and we may have to take bigger risks just to fill out our lineups, then I'd be remiss not to point out what Ragans did in his return to the Royals rotation Wednesday. Filling the spot vacated by Ryan Yarbrough at the trade deadline, he had the Mets flailing meekly at his four-pitch arsenal, which was all brought together by a much slower cutter than he's implemented in the past. Really, it was more of a slider, which he thinks will create more differentiation with his fastball and help to neutralize lefties. They were on the other end of four of his eight strikeouts in this one. One good start may not be reason to rush out and add Ragans, but between this new pitch and the velocity bump he's enjoyed all year, there may be something here.
... See More... See Less
Royals' Cole Ragans: Recalled for start Wednesday
Rotowire
Kansas City recalled Ragans from Triple-A Omaha ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday against the Mets.
Ragans pitched pretty well in a spot start for the Royals last month against the Rays, but the 25-year-old left-hander owns a career 5.06 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 54:32 K:BB in 69.1 total innings of work at the major-league level. He is not a recommended fantasy streamer versus New York.
... See More... See Less
Royals' Cole Ragans: Starting Wednesday
Rotowire
Ragans will be promoted from Triple-A Omaha to start Wednesday's game against the Mets, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Wednesday's start was originally supposed to go to Alec Marsh, but Marsh's start will be pushed back to the weekend because he entered Tuesday's game out of the bullpen. Ragans holds a 4.13 ERA and 1.38 WHIP through 28.1 innings in Triple-A this season, but he surrendered just one run over five innings during his start against the Rays on July 15.
... See More... See Less
Royals' Cole Ragans: Returns to minors after spot start
Rotowire
Ragans was returned to Triple-A Omaha on Saturday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
The move comes shortly after Ragans fared well in a spot start in the second game of a doubleheader against the Rays, as the lefty fanned three over five innings of one-run ball. Ragans was the 27th man Saturday, so the Royals could bring him back at any time without having to wait 15 days, which would have been the case had he been recalled and optioned. There would seem to be a good chance Ragans has earned another start at some point next week.
... See More... See Less
Rangers' Cole Ragans: Takes lumps in loss
Rotowire
Ragans allowed four runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four over three innings in Monday's 12-0 loss to Atlanta.
Ragans ceded his first two home runs of the season in clean-up work following rookie starter Cody Bradford, who allowed six earned runs over five innings. Eating multiple innings in relief is Ragans' job, and he's hit some bumps along the way. The left-hander has allowed 12 runs over his last 12.1 innings.
... See More... See Less
Rangers' Cole Ragans: Plays major role in loss
Rotowire
Ragans allowed five runs on three hits and one walk over two-thirds of an inning in Tuesday's 7-6 loss to the Reds. He also hit a batter.
Ragans managed to avoid getting the loss -- that went to Ian Kennedy -- but the fault falls mostly on Ragans. It was the second straight bullpen meltdown by Texas relievers. The bullpen had been strong to begin the season but are in a rough patch, posting a 6.75 ERA over 13.1 innings since the start of the series with the Athletics last week.
... See More... See Less
Rangers' Cole Ragans: Handed first loss Saturday
Rotowire
Ragans (2-1) allowed two runs on five hits while striking out three over four innings, picking up the loss in Saturday's game against the Astros.
Ragans was forced to enter the game when starter Jon Gray was removed following a comebacker off his elbow. That's never an easy situation for a pitcher, but the 25-year-old lefty filled up the zone (40 of 55 pitches for strikes) in an effort to get quick outs and eat up as many innings as possible. "Cole did a good job for us, gave us some much needed innings," Texas manager Bruce Bochy told Kenndi Landry of MLB.com. "He did a really nice job getting us some length to the seventh inning." Gray's injury appears to be a minor one, and he could make his next start, so Ragans may not be needed for a spot start. The lefty, who was a minor-league starter, has adjusted well to a bullpen role in 2023, giving up two runs on seven hits while striking out nine over nine innings (six outings). Of note, after issuing four free passes in his first 3.1 innings, Ragans is walk-free over the last 5.2 frames.
... See More... See Less
Rangers' Cole Ragans: Dominates early
Rotowire
Ragans allowed two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out five over 3.2 innings in Saturday's start against the Reds.
Ragans dominated Cincinnati early, getting through the first three innings one batter over the minimum, but the left-hander tired in the fourth. Nevertheless, Ragans has been one of the top stories in camp due to increased fastball velocity. He leads Texas with 14 strikeouts over 9.2 innings. With the rotation all but set in stone, Ragans, who made nine starts for Texas last season, could serve in the bullpen at the MLB level or continue on a starter's path at Triple-A Round Rock and be ready when the Rangers need a fill-in.
... See More... See Less
Rangers' Cole Ragans: Increases velocity
Rotowire
Texas manager Bruce Bochy said Ragans was hitting 95-96 mph during his first Cactus League start last Sunday, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports.
Ragans' fastball velocity was 92.1 mph in 2022, putting him in the 19th percentile among pitchers. The velocity increase is startling. "I went back and looked at (last year's) games when I came over, and watched him," Bochy said. "It was impressive, wasn't it? He was bumping 96 (mph). I didn't see that in (last year's) games." The left-hander said he was on a program at a place called Tread Athletics, which he credits with the added 3-4 mph velocity. He's not a projected member of the five-man rotation, but he could move up among the depth options if the uptick in velocity is sustainable.
... See More... See Less
Rangers' Cole Ragans: Lands on injured list
Rotowire
Ragans was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left calf strain Monday.
Ragans made his final start of the year against the Angels on Saturday and allowed a run on four hits and a walk while striking out two in five innings to settle for a no-decision. Even though he wouldn't have pitched again in 2022, he's dealing with a calf issue that will force him to finish the year on the IL. It's not yet clear whether the injury will have any impact on his offseason program.
... See More... See Less
Rangers' Cole Ragans: Takes loss Sunday
Rotowire
Ragans (0-3) took the loss Sunday, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits and one walk over five innings against the Guardians. He struck out three.
After facing the minimum through two innings, Ragans ran into trouble in the third. The Guardians recorded four singles in the inning, which along with a throwing error, led to Cleveland scoring four runs. Ragans made it through the next two innings with relative ease, but it wasn't enough to avoid taking his third loss. Sunday marked his first start of at least five innings since Aug. 17, a trend he will try to continue in his next start, which will likely come against the Angels this weekend.
... See More... See Less
Rangers' Cole Ragans: Escapes with no-decision
Rotowire
Ragans allowed two runs on seven hits and no walks while striking out five over 4.2 innings in a no-decision versus the Angels on Tuesday.
Ragans limited the damage to a Matt Duffy two-run home run in the second inning, which went down the left-field line. This was Ragans' fourth straight no-decision, and it was also his longest of three starts since returning from a calf injury. The southpaw lowered his season ERA to 5.40 with a 1.57 WHIP and 22:14 K:BB, and he notably avoided issuing a walk for the first time in seven outings. He's projected for a weekend start at home versus the Guardians.
... See More... See Less
Rangers' Cole Ragans: Hit hard in home start
Rotowire
Ragans took a no-decision Tuesday versus the Athletics, allowing seven runs on eight hits and a walk while striking out five in four innings.
Ragans got a bit more stretched out, throwing 70 pitches (48 strikes) in his second start back from a calf injury. He's had trouble with Oakland through his first two starts versus the Rangers' divisional rivals, allowing 10 runs across nine innings. The 24-year-old southpaw is clearly still adjusting to the majors with a 5.68 ERA and 1.58 WHIP through 25.1 innings, though he was able to walk just one batter for the second time in six starts. He's projected for a home start versus the Angels next week.
