Fastball

KC Royals Lefty Sits Only Behind Zack Greinke on This Impressive List in Team History

Cole Ragans represented the Kansas City Royals at the All-Star Game this past week. He's also well represented on this awesome list in Royals team history.

Brady Farkas

Kansas City Royals pitcher Cole Ragans (55) looks for the sign during the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium.
Kansas City Royals pitcher Cole Ragans (55) looks for the sign during the second inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium. / William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports
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Since getting traded to the Kansas City Royals a season ago, left-hander Cole Ragans has stamped himself as one of the best pitchers in the American League.

The Royals acquired Ragans in the deal that sent Aroldis Chapman to the Texas Rangers. It's safe to say that the deal has worked out for both sides. Though imperfect in Arlington, Chapman helped the Rangers win the World Series and Ragans has blossomed into an All-Star.

Furthermore, Ragans is near the top of this impressive list in Royals history.

Per @StatsCentre:

An All-Star reserve that played for the American League in their win yesterday, Cole Ragans has been a superb contributor for the @Royals in 2024. Posting 141 strikeouts (4th most in all of MLB so far this season), he sits 2nd on this list of 20-game starts with the KCR franchise

Through 20 career Royals starts, Ragans has struck out 141 batters, which is fewer than only Zack. Greinke (146) in 2009.

Considering that Greinke won the Cy Young Award that season and is the best pitcher for the Royals in the 2000s, that's high company to be in for Ragans.

In addition to his All-Star appearance, Ragans is 6-6 this year with a 3.16 ERA. Those 141 strikeouts this year have come in 116.2 innings.

The Royals will enter play in the second half of the season at 52-45 overall. They are one of the best stories in baseball this season. After losing 106 games a year ago, they are just 2.0 games back of a wild card berth this season.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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