Kansas City Royals pitcher Kris Bubic had a solid final spring start in Tuesday's 3-1 win against the Rangers. Bubic pitched five innings, allowing one run on five hits and a walk with eight strikeouts on 81 pitches. The 27-year-old had an excellent 2024 season out of the bullpen and earned the fifth rotation spot for the Royals this spring, going 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts in 21 2/3 IP. The spring statline doesn't instill a ton of confidence, but Bubic did have some fantasy appeal as a prospect several seasons ago and showed his skills last season. He may be worth keeping an eye on for fantasy managers in deep leagues to start the season. He will also be eligible as a relief pitcher, giving him some added appeal in points leagues.
Kris Bubic Appears To Be Favorite For No. 5 Rotation Spot
MLB.com's Anne Rogers writes that it appears to be shaping up as though Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic will earn the final rotation spot out of spring training behind Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha and Michael Lorenzen. It means that Daniel Lynch could open the 2025 season out of the bullpen or as a starter at Triple-A Omaha. But the fact that Lynch has come out of the bullpen in Cactus League games this week gives insight to where the Royals might be leaning. Bubic has had a strong spring and most recently struck out five in 3 1/3 scoreless innings against the division-rival Cleveland Guardians on Saturday. He emerged as a high-leverage reliever late last year after having Tommy John surgery in 2023. His workload will surely be managed, but if he can transfer any of his strikeout stuff from last year to the rotation, he'll be useful in deep-mixed and AL-only affairs.
Kris Bubic The Front-Runner For Fifth Starter Role
Kansas City Royals left-handed pitcher Kris Bubic is seen as the frontrunner for the fifth starter role. During his spring debut, Bubic tossed two innings and allowed one run. He tallied two punchouts. The 27-year-old made his 2024 debut in the second half due to undergoing Tommy John early in the 2023 season. Across 30 1/3 innings, Bubic posted a 2.67 ERA and a 1.02 WHIP. He tallied 39 punchouts and held a strong 4.1 percent walk rate. Bubic also generated an elite 1.81 xERA and a .191 xBA, which were both well above the average marks. In addition, Bubic has worked on adding a sinker to his pitch mix during spring training in hopes of performing better against lefties. Fantasy managers should consider targeting him in deeper AL-only formats if he earns the job. This would then push Daniel Lynch IV and Alec Marsh to a long relief role.
The Kansas City Royals plan to use left-hander Kris Bubic as a starting pitcher next season, although he'll most likely be on an innings limit of around 140 to 150 in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. At the top of the rotation, the Royals are set heading into the 2025 campaign with veteran right-handers Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha and lefty Cole Ragans. Kyle Wright (shoulder), Daniel Lynch and Noah Cameron are other options for KC's rotation. If the Royals add another pitcher this offseason, they would most likely be in more of a swing role, and it probably wouldn't come until later in the offseason. The 27-year-old Bubic had TJ surgery in April of 2023 and threw 30 1/3 relief innings late in 2024, finishing with a strong 2.67 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 39 K's and only five walks. The Royals have an opening in their rotation after trading Brady Singer to the Reds.
Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic has been moved to the 60-day injured list as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery last April. The 26-year-old was limited to just three starts before undergoing the knife last season, tossing a 3.94 ERA in that time. Bubic recently threw his first bullpen session of the spring and is likely to return to the roster somewhere in the middle of the season. He is the owner of a career 4.85 ERA across 70 appearances, 60 of which were starts. The Royals added Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo to their rotation this offseason while the emerging Cole Ragans should headline the group. Even with a healthy return, his 20.2% K% leaves him well off the fantasy radar for the 2024 campaign.
Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow) threw his first bullpen session on Tuesday at spring training since having Tommy John surgery. The 26-year-old southpaw threw around 15 pitches (only fastballs) and felt good the day after with no extra soreness in his elbow. It was the first time he's thrown off a mound since last April. He's scheduled to throw another side session on Friday and will have around nine weeks of bullpens with increasing intensity before he faces hitters. Bubic is currently limited to throwing fastballs off the mound but has started to flip in some breaking balls and offspeed stuff while playing catch. He opted for full UCL reconstruction in April of last year and is targeting the middle of 2024 as a potential return date.
Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow) is scheduled to throw his first bullpen session of spring training on Tuesday. Bubic is recovery from Tommy John surgery last April and is scheduled for a midseason return in 2024. The 26-year-old southpaw made only three starts for the Royals last year before having surgery, and he went 3-13 with a career-worst 5.58 ERA (4.78 FIP) and 1.69 WHIP with 63 walks and 110 strikeouts over 129 innings and 27 starts in 2022. Bubic won't be a lock for the Royals' starting rotation this summer, either, as long as both Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha are healthy around the All-Star break. Fantasy managers in deep-mixed fantasy leagues should hold off on Bubic until he proves he's healthy in the second half.
Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic (elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session this week at spring training. It's a notable development, as it will be the 26-year-old southpaw's first time throwing off a mound since he had Tommy John surgery last April. He isn't going to be ready to pitch in the first half of the 2024 season, but barring any setbacks along the way, Bubic should become an option for KC's starting rotation at some point in the second half. He only made three starts in 2023 before going under the knife and had a career-worst 5.58 ERA (4.78 FIP) and 1.69 WHIP with 63 walks and 110 strikeouts in 129 innings over 28 outings (27 starts) for the Royals in 2022. Fantasy managers in deep mixed leagues should take a wait-and-see approach on Bubic once he's ready to return later this year.
Kris Bubic Slated To Return In The Middle Of The Season
Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic (elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session next week after pitchers and catchers report to spring training. The 26-year-old southpaw underwent Tommy John surgery last April and while he won't be ready for the start of the regular season, he's targeting a return sometime in the middle of the 2024 campaign. Though it was a limited sample size of just three starts (16 innings), Bubic got off to the best start of his career in 2023. He worked a 3.94 ERA (2.94 FIP) and 1.313 WHIP with 16 punch outs to just two walks over those three starts before landing on the 15-day injured list with a flexor strain in his elbow that eventually led to surgery. Bubic has some intriguing upside and if he can continue to progress through his recovery then he's a name to monitor when he finally makes it back to the Royals' rotation.
The Kansas City Royals avoided salary arbitration with left-hander Kris Bubic on Tuesday by agreeing to a one-year, $2.35 million deal with him. Bubic is still recovering from Tommy John surgery on his left elbow, which limited him to three starts in 2023. The 26-year-old southpaw will be off the fantasy radar in the spring because of the fact that he's expected to miss at least the first half of the season. In his three starts in April of this year, Bubic allowed seven runs on 19 hits (one homer) while walking only two and striking out 16 in 16 innings. In his four seasons with the Royals dating back to the shortened 2020 campaign, Bubic has a 4.85 ERA (4.81 FIP) and 1.52 WHIP with 146 walks and 289 strikeouts in 70 appearances (60 starts) covering 325 innings pitched.
Kris Bubic
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Royals
