Cole Ragans Takes a 92 mph Liner to the Hand and the Royals' Ace Is Done

Cole Ragans looked sharp early. Two strikeouts on the first nine pitches against Cleveland on Wednesday felt like the Royals were about to get everything from their lefty ace at Progressive Field. Then a comebacker off José Ramírez's bat changed everything in a heartbeat.

The ball was clocked at 92.4 mph straight at Ragans' throwing hand. Manager Matt Quatraro and head athletic trainer Kyle Turner rushed out immediately. What followed was the kind of moment you hold your breath through: Ragans threw a few more warmup pitches, one curveball sailed to the backstop, and Turner spent time working on Ragans' thumb and palm area. The ace stayed in the game after that lengthy visit.

Things Fell Apart Fast

Staying in didn't help. Ragans threw five straight balls, walking David Fry and falling behind to Chase DeLauter. He got back in the strike zone on the next pitch, but DeLauter hammered it to the center-field wall for a two-out, two-run double. That was enough. After just two-thirds of an inning and 18 pitches, Ragans exited with Turner. The Royals haven't released an injury update yet.

The frustration was real. As he walked into the dugout, Ragans chucked his glove at the bench, telling you everything you needed to know about how quickly things went sideways in the first inning.

The Bullpen Steps Up

Reliever Luinder Avila came in to provide length, and the timing worked out. Avila had thrown 73 pitches in a spot start on Saturday, so he'd been unavailable the past few days. Wednesday was his first fully rested day, bringing the Royals' bullpen back to full strength at exactly the right moment.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.