Royals find trade partner for injury-prone Kris Bubic in deadline day shocker with Dodgers

The Kansas City Royals were in the market to trade expiring contracts at the deadline, however one name that seemed unlikelier to be moved heading towards the 6 p.m. ET deadline was Kris Bubic. The 2025 All-Star has been impressive for the Royals since returning from Tommy John surgery part way through 2024, when he's on the mound. However, with a shoulder injury cutting his impressive return to the rotation short last season and then elbow issues have keeping him on the shelf since May 18 this season, injuries have been a red flag.

However, they managed to find a trade suitor for the last few months of Bubic's contract after all, as they've reportedly traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for Triple-A reliever Carlos Duran.

Again, the fact Bubic was drawing interest shouldn't come as a shock as the injuries seemed like the only real knock against him. After posting 2.55 ERA in his first-career All-Star campaign in 2025, Bubic looked like a respectable middle of the rotation-type arm, with a 4.11 ERA, 3.71 FIP and .200 BAA in nine starts this season.

On top of that, what also makes him so intriguing is his ability to pitch out of the 'pen, which for contenders like the Dodgers, when rotations shrink in the postseason, starters that can make an impact in relief can make a major difference. In 2024 after returning from Tommy John, Bubic threw to a 2.67 ERA, 1.95 FIP, 1.02 WHIP, .224 BAA and 32.2% K-rate. And come October, his 1.93 ERA made him a reliable lefty option to call upon as well.

It's a shame injuries depleted a trade return for him to just a minor league reliever. However, the more time more time that passed where he wasn't been on the mound has only made him less of a reliable option for the Royals' future and the more the odds increased the Royals weren't going to have anything to show for his bounce-back efforts in recent years.

Royals continued to add pitching depth promise in Kris Bubic trade return

In terms of what the Royals are getting back for their former All-Star in Bubic, a minor league reliever may not have been what some had hoped for. However, again, at this point, any return is better than nothing for an injury-prone Bubic. And there's plenty to like about the arm they got back in Duran.

The 25-year-old right-hander is throwing to a 3.38 ERA, 3.98 FIP and .201 BAA in 42.2 innings of work. On top of that, he looks like a real strikeout savant with 12.87 K/9 in Triple-A Oklahoma City. He certainly fits the mold of an arm the could become an immediate bullpen solution for their hopeful competitive future in 2027 and beyond, with one big league appearance under his belt already.

When you add that to the likes of Lucas Braun, the former Braves Top 10 prospect whom they acquired in the Lane Thomas trade on Saturday, the Royals are starting to tick of the box of addressing their major league pitching depth concerns.

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