3 surprising players who are off to strong starts for the KC Royals

Through the early weeks of the 2025 season, the Kansas City Royals have been hovering around the .500 mark. With expectations of a club that will build off last season's playoff run, fans and analysts alike knew that the club couldn’t solely depend on Bobby Witt Jr to single handedly carry them there. It’s the unexpected contributors — the bounce-back arms and quietly rising bats — that will need to give this team a boost.

Let’s spotlight three Royals who have come out of the gate on fire and are helping redefine the narrative in Kansas City.

3 surprising players who are off to strong starts for the KC Royals

LHP Kris Bubic

It might not be shocking that Kris Bubic is pitching well — after all, the talent has always been there. But what is surprising is just how dominant he’s been since returning to the Kansas City Royals' starting rotation. After spending the 2024 season in the bullpen while working his way back from Tommy John surgery, Bubic has stormed into 2025 with a vengeance, looking like a completely reinvented arm. 

Through his first four starts, Bubic has been truly remarkable. He holds a sparkling 1.88 ERA and an impressive 27 punch-outs over 24 innings, showcasing both command and confidence on the mound. The Royals were banking on a few arms to step up behind Cole Ragans, and Bubic has answered the call in a massive way.

UTIL Maikel Garcia

After a disappointing 2024 campaign that saw his average plummet to .231, Maikel Garcia entered 2025 with something to prove. And so far, he’s done just that — returning to the dependable version of himself that Royals fans saw back in 2023 when he hit .272 over 123 games.

Garcia has opened the season with more confidence at the plate and is showing signs of offensive growth. Never known for his power, he’s already left the yard twice in his first 18 games, putting him on track for a potential career high. Even if that power doesn’t fully stick, his ability to consistently get on base and put together tough at-bats gives the Royals a spark in the lineup.

There’s a renewed calmness in his approach this season — he’s staying within himself, working counts, and spraying line drives across the field. If he can maintain this balance between contact and emerging power, the Royals' may have found a deeper threat offensively.

LHP Daniel Lynch IV

Daniel Lynch IV may have entered the season as a forgotten name in the Royals’ pitching plans, but he’s quickly making himself impossible to overlook. Once projected as a back-end starter, Lynch has taken on a new role in the bullpen — and thrived doing so.

In eight appearances out of the 'pen, Lynch has tossed nine scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and striking out seven. He even picked up a save along the way and currently boasts a perfect 0.00 ERA.

Of course, there are warning signs — his 12.9% walk rate and high hard-hit percentage (52.6%) suggest some turbulence could be around the corner if the command doesn’t improve. But even so, the Royals have to be thrilled with his ability to lock down innings and offer a new layer of versatility. If Lynch can tighten the control, he might just become a critical piece in Kansas City’s late-inning plans.

It’s still early, and baseball has a way of evening things out over the course of the season. But for now, the Royals are riding the momentum of some key bounce-back and breakout performances. If these players can sustain even a portion of their current production, the Royals may have more staying power in the division than anyone expected.