Ragans didn't factor into the decision Sunday against the Athletics, allowing two hits and one walk over 4.1 scoreless innings. He struck out eight.
The left-hander was electric despite the short outing, piling up 17 swinging strikes on 72 pitches while leaning heavily on his fastball. He put together a particularly dominant stretch during which he struck out six of eight batters faced. Since returning from the injured list, Ragans has been exactly what the Royals hoped for, looking sharp across three outings. Over that span, he's delivered a 2.77 ERA, 0.77 WHIP and a 22:4 K:BB across 13 innings, showing not only that his strikeout ability remains intact but also that there are no lingering concerns about his durability or effectiveness heading into the offseason.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Punches out 10 in win
Rotowire
Ragans (3-3) earned the win Tuesday, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk over five innings against the Angels. He struck out 10.
Ragans worked four scoreless frames before surrendering a two-run homer to Bryce Teodosio in his fifth and final inning of Tuesday's start. It was an impressive showing for the southpaw in just his second outing back from a left rotator cuff strain that kept him sidelined for more than three months. The 27-year-old has had a tough-luck season with a 5.02 ERA and 1.22 WHIP across 12 starts and 57.1 innings, surface numbers that hide a much stronger 2.69 FIP. He's currently lined up for one more regular-season start Sunday against the Athletics, though that has not yet been confirmed.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Activated ahead of start Wednesday
Rotowire
The Royals activated Ragans (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
After being sidelined for more than three months with a left rotator cuff strain, Ragans will make his return to the Royals rotation Wednesday against the Mariners at Kauffman Stadium. Ragans made two rehab starts with Triple-A Omaha prior to being activated, allowing just one run with a 14:2 K:BB over 6.2 innings. The left-hander threw 56 pitches in his most recent rehab outing this past Friday, so his workload will be relatively limited versus the Mariners.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Rejoining rotation Wednesday
Rotowire
The Royals will activate Ragans (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list to start Wednesday's game against the Mariners in Kansas City, Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star reports.
The upcoming start will mark Ragans' first with the big club since June 5, after a left rotator cuff strain kept him out of commission for more than three months. The southpaw began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha on Sept. 7 and tossed 56 pitches and 3.2 innings in his second and final outing on the farm this past Friday, striking out seven in that start while allowing no runs on one hit and two walks. Though Ragans looked sharp in both of his appearances at Omaha, he's not yet fully stretched out for a typical starter's workload and could be limited to around 70-to-80 pitches Wednesday.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Second rehab start set
Rotowire
Ragans (shoulder) will continue his rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Friday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
The left-hander made his first rehab appearance with Omaha on Sunday and threw 45 pitches across three innings. Ragans will continue building up his workload Friday and could require another rehab start after that before being cleared to rejoin the Royals.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Embarking on rehab assignment
Rotowire
Ragans (shoulder) is expected to begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Sunday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Ragans has spent the majority of the season on the IL and has been on the shelf since mid-June due to a left rotator cuff strain. He ramped up his throwing program with bullpen sessions in mid-August, and the 28-year-old southpaw has progressed enough in his recovery to embark on a rehab assignment. Royals manager Matt Quatraro relayed Friday that Ragans is scheduled to pitch two innings Sunday and could ramp up his workload barring any setbacks.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Tosses live batting practice
Rotowire
Ragans (shoulder) threw a 30-pitch live batting practice session Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
Ragans' recovery from a torn left rotator cuff has been slow and deliberate, with Wednesday marking his first time facing live hitters since he was placed on the injured list June 11. While no firm timeline has been set for Ragans' return, the next step for the 27-year-old would likely be heading out on a rehab assignment to build up his pitch count with the hope of rejoining the big club in the second half of September.
Ragans (shoulder) completed a 40-pitch up-and-down bullpen session Saturday, MLB.com reports.
For the past few weeks, Ragans has thrown multiple bullpen sessions as he begins to build back up again following a prolonged shutdown due to a left rotator cuff strain. Assuming all went well during Saturday's session, Ragans will take the next step forward in his rehab by facing live hitters during the upcoming week. The southpaw could then head out on a rehab assignment, which could set him up for a return from the 60-day injured list around the middle of September. Ragans appears as though he'll get the chance to rejoin the Royals in a starting role, but since he may not have sufficient time to get fully stretched out in the minors, he could be operating with more limited pitch counts than usual once he gets activated.
Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that Ragans (shoulder) threw an "up-down" bullpen session Sunday, MLB.com reports.
Ragans is making steady progress in his recovery from a left rotator cuff strain, having now completed five bullpen sessions. Quatraro noted that the southpaw has been feeling good throughout the process, and Ragans' next step in his rehab will be facing live hitters. Ragans has been on the shelf since mid-June, but the Royals remain optimistic that the 27-year-old can return to the rotation before the end of the season.
Ragans (shoulder) will throw a bullpen session Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
The left-hander will throw off the bump for the first time since he was shelved in early June with a left rotator cuff strain. Ragans will presumably be built back up as a starter during his throwing progression, and given how long he's been out thus far, a return from the 60-day injured list before the end of August could be ambitious.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Not yet throwing off mound
Rotowire
The Royals announced Friday that Ragans (shoulder) remains on track with his throwing progression and has increased his throwing distance off flat ground to 120 feet, MLB.com reports.
Though Ragans seems to be making incremental progress in his recovery from a left rotator cuff strain, he still has yet to resume throwing bullpen sessions since landing on the injured list June 11. Assuming Kansas City is still planning on having Ragans get stretched back out as a starter during his rehab program, he's unlikely to be ready to slot back into the big-league rotation until late August in a best-case scenario.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Transferred to 60-day IL
Rotowire
The Royals transferred Ragans (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday.
Ragans had been scheduled to resume a throwing program Monday, but it's going to take him a while to get built back up after he was shut down for nearly a month with a left rotator cuff strain. He is now not eligible to return until early August.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Set for second opinion
Rotowire
Ragans will get a second opinion on his shoulder injury next week, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
After landing on the injured list Wednesday, Ragans underwent initial imaging on his left shoulder that confirmed a strain. The Royals believe that he will avoid surgery for the time being, though manager Matt Quatraro admitted that nothing will be conclusive until further testing occurs. There is no timeline for Ragans' return, but he will almost certainly be sidelined for longer than the minimum 15 days.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Hits IL with rotator cuff strain
Rotowire
The Royals placed Ragans on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a left rotator cuff strain.
Ragans last pitched Thursday, getting knocked around for five runs over three innings in St. Louis in his first start back from a groin injury. It's not clear whether he suffered the rotator cuff injury during that outing or sometime since then, but either way, it's an injury that will likely sideline him longer than the minimum 15 days. Ragans' move to the IL should extend rookie Noah Cameron's stay in the rotation.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Struggles in return
Rotowire
Ragans (groin) allowed five runs on five hits and three walks while striking out four over three innings in a no-decision in Game 2 of Thursday's doubleheader versus the Royals.
Ragans squandered a four-run lead in the third inning, and that was enough to end his first start back after missing nearly three weeks with the groin injury. He wasn't very sharp, throwing just 47 of 78 pitches for strikes in his return. The southpaw has gone no more than five innings in any of his last six outings, and he's given up at least four runs in five of them. He's at a 5.18 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 76:16 K:BB through 48.2 innings over 10 starts this season. Ragans is tentatively projected to make his next start at home in a tough matchup against the Yankees.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Officially back on mound
Rotowire
The Royals reinstated Ragans (groin) from the injured list Thursday.
Ragans is set to take the mound Thursday in St. Louis for the second part of a doubleheader. This will be the southpaw's first start since May 16 when he injured his groin. In a corresponding move, the Royals designated Thomas Hatch for assignment.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Starting rehab assignment
Rotowire
Ragans (groin) will report to Double-A Northwest Arkansas to begin a rehab assignment Saturday.
The left-hander is eligible to come off the injured list Sunday, but he won't quite be ready to rejoin the Royals. Given the brevity of Ragans' absence, he may only need one outing in the minors before being re-inserted into Kansas City's rotation.
Ragans (groin) is throwing a two-up bullpen Wednesday and is then expected to make a rehab start this weekend, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Ragans has been on the injured list since May 17 and becomes eligible for reinstatement Sunday, but it seems as though he'll need more time before rejoining the active roster. The Royals haven't announced their full plans, but the left-hander may only need one rehab start before being activated given the brevity of his absence.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Completes side session Sunday
Rotowire
Ragans (groin) threw a "competitive" bullpen session Sunday, MLB.com reports.
Ragans is eligible to return from the 15-day injured list this Sunday, but the Royals haven't officially confirmed that he'll be ready to go by that day. That said, after checking out fine following the bullpen session, Ragans looks to be on track for a minimum-length stay on the shelf. The Royals may want Ragans to complete another bullpen session or possibly a live batting practice session before deciding on his next step. Daniel Lynch will make his second start Tuesday against the Reds but is likely to move back to the bullpen once Ragans is activated.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Playing catch
Rotowire
Ragans (groin) has been playing catch and is expected to return from the injured list when eligible June 1, MLB.com reports.
Ragans exited his start May 16 due to left groin tightness, but it sounds like he'll miss the minimum amount of time. He has a 4.53 ERA this season but an excellent 72:13 K:BB in 45.2 innings.
