3 KC Royals players' starts that feel sustainable, 2 that feel like fool’s gold

Sell on: UTL Maikel Garcia

Royals fans have seen this song and dance before. Third baseman Maikel Garcia was a savior compared to the revolving door at the hot corner before him in 2023—most notably Hunter Dozier. Since then, however, some big red flags have emerged in his game, as shown when he was Kansas City's first-choice leadoff hitter. Now pushed down the pecking order and largely relegated to the bench, Garcia is playing like he has something to prove.

He's been 6-for-17 in six games to start the season, with four extra-base hits and three RBI. In the series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, Garcia clobbered a solo home run traveling 428 feet—marking the longest of his career according to Statcast. Garcia already leads Royals batters with two home runs six games into the season. Those extra-base hits and a surprising number of walks have given him a scorching 252 wRC+ and .518 wOBA.

MLB.com's Anne Rogers detailed what Garcia changed about his swing mechanics and mentality at the plate, but the possibility of him keeping up this pace or ending the season as an above-average batter feels far-fetched. He was one of the league's worst qualified hitters last year—even though he had a solid start through May. A hot start in 2025 just feels like more of the same—until it isn't.

Believe in: LHP Kris Bubic

The quality start streak in Kansas City last year was a surprising storyline, but in 2025, the rotation has yielded only one such start—by left-handed pitcher Kris Bubic.

Bubic tossed a gem in his return to the rotation, delivering six innings of shutout ball with eight strikeouts. The Brewers had no answer for him, as his entire arsenal seemed to work to perfection. Bubic had a great run in the bullpen last year, which led some fans to wonder if he should remain there. However, that was only a temporary plan to roll him back into the rotation after his Tommy John surgery in 2023.

Bubic is just part of an overall solid rotation in Kansas City, but there's a real possibility he could end the season as the team's second-best starter. The 27-year-old may not be blowing fastballs past the opposition, but a nasty sweeper and an overperforming slider could carry him even further.