KC Royals Lefty Sits Only Behind Zack Greinke on This Impressive List in Team History
![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.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_3212,h_1806,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/fastball/01j337td8k7myq43xxhk.jpg)
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
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 pic.twitter.com/pkCSXdXOak
— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) July 18, 2024
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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