Royals fans are spiraling as Cole Ragans' latest early exit raises major health concerns

The Kansas City Royals entered Wednesday's game with a real chip on their shoulders, winning their last five games and nine of their last 11. And as they went for a series clinching win against their division rivals in the Guardians, they'd be doing so with their ace and strikeout savant Cole Ragans taking the mound. All looked good in Royals land...until it didn't.

Ragans looked strong through the first three innings of the game, giving up no runs while surrendering just one hit and two walks and striking out four. But then, after just 58 pitches, the southpaw was lifted before the fourth inning with what was later revealed as left tricep and elbow soreness according to the team.

This wasn't the first time Ragans has been lifted early from a start this season, as ironically enough, in their last series against the Guardians last month, Ragans would leave in the first inning after taking a José Ramírez comebacker off his hand. This time around fans were not taking his early exit too well, with many be concerned for his long-term health.

After the nightmare that was 2025 for Ragans, who after finishing fourth in Cy Young voting the year prior made just 13 starts and hit the IL twice, fans' worries are entirely valid. While it's too soon to jump to any conclusions this time around, with an official verdict on Ragans' health still impending, elbow issues for a pitcher are never what anyone wants to hear.

This could however, possibly shed some light onto Ragans' odd-looking form this season. While his K-rates remain high with an 11.41 K/9 clip entering Wednesday's four strikeout showing in three innings, his control has come into question. Last season, the lefty posted a career low 7.8% K-rate and had only ever exceeded 10% once in his career. This season though, his walk rate had nearly doubled heading into Wednesday's contest, as he sat at 15.2% in his first seven starts.

Royals will have to rely on shallow pitching depth if Cole Ragans lands on the IL

Again, it's easy to speculate and think the worst in the moment, but it's only natural to worry that Ragans could be sidelined, especially when it comes to elbow issues. After all, this is unfortunately an all too familiar story with Ragans after last season.

After losing two names in their immediate 40-man depth in Ryan Bergert and Triple-A prospect Ben Kudrna last to season-ending surgeries last week, on top of the shift to relief roles they'd taken with Luinder Avila and Mason Black, the shallowness of their pitching depth had already come into question. And they even had to put their dwindling depth too the test this week after Stephen Kolek was called upon to spot start for the ailing Noah Cameron.

Perhaps now Kansas City will need to call upon Kolek again to do a job for them like he did on Tuesday, where he posted his sixth quality start in his sixth outing as a Royal dating back to last season, should Ragans be forced to the shelf. And while Cameron should make his next start, if his back continues to be an issue for him, perhaps the likes of Mitch Spence will need to additionally called upon alongside Kolek should the worst case scenario hit and both names end up on the shelf.

All in all, Royals fans will be waiting for the verdict on Ragans, hoping it's nothing more than a brief setback. Because this team may not be able to handle losing an arm of his magnitude, no matter how strong the rest of the starting staff has looked to start the season.

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