KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals managed to secure a 7-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies in Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader, despite a concerning early exit from their ace, Cole Ragans, due to left groin tightness. Ragans, who is known for his strong performances, pitched only three innings, allowing four runs on three hits, including two home runs, before being replaced in the fourth inning.
Ragans, who threw 62 pitches during his short outing, struggled with his command, which manager Matt Quatraro attributed to his inability to loosen up properly before the game. “He had trouble getting loose today. It started to loosen up a little bit in the second. Thought a little bit more in the third. But as he was sitting there between the third and the fourth, it tightened up on him again,” Quatraro explained.
The left-hander, who had an impressive season last year with an 11-9 record and a 3.14 ERA, has faced challenges this season, now holding a 1-1 record with a 4.40 ERA in six starts. His velocity was noticeably down, averaging 94.5 mph compared to his season average of 95.7 mph. “I would assume if he’s not comfortable pushing off, you’re going to cut some stuff off, which makes sense based on some of those misses being low on off-speed pitches,” Quatraro said.
Royals catcher Salvador Perez noted that he sensed something was off with Ragans from the bullpen. “After the first inning, I saw something weird. His fastball was not kind of sharp today. The off-speed was kind of everywhere. I asked him if he was OK, and he told me yes, so I have to believe him. I think after the third inning, he felt something in his groin,” Perez said.
Despite Ragans’ struggles, the Royals' bullpen stepped up admirably, tossing six scoreless innings in relief. Angel Zerpa and Steven Cruz each pitched two innings, while Lucas Erceg and Carlos Estévez closed out the game, with Estévez earning his sixth save of the season. This performance was crucial in helping the Royals secure their first win with more than four runs scored since April 4, breaking a 17-game streak of low-scoring outings.
In the early innings, the Royals found themselves trailing after Ragans allowed a solo home run to Rockies outfielder Jordan Beck in the second inning and a two-run homer to catcher Hunter Goodman in the third. However, the Royals responded quickly, tying the game in the bottom of the third. Perez doubled and scored on an RBI single from Michael Massey, followed by Drew Waters’ game-tying single.
The fifth inning proved decisive for Kansas City as they capitalized on two walks. Kyle Isbel delivered a sharp go-ahead, two-run single past first baseman Michael Toglia’s glove, marking his first two of three RBIs for the game. “Cole was not 100 percent today,” Perez reflected. “He likes to compete like everybody in this game. His groin was tight. I could tell from the bullpen; it was not him today. But [the offense], we got his back today. Every time he pitches, we feel like we’re going to win.”
The Royals have been struggling offensively, and this victory marked just the third time in 25 games that they scored more than four runs this year. It also ended a streak of 17 games where they had only managed to score a total of 40 runs. The previous record for the club was a 19-game stretch without scoring more than four runs, set back in June 2018.
Looking ahead, the Royals will be monitoring Ragans closely as he undergoes further testing to determine the extent of his groin issue. Quatraro stated, “He’s getting treatment after Game 1 and is headed for more testing on Friday morning, which will help us determine the severity.”
In addition to Ragans, the Royals are also dealing with other injury concerns. Right-hander Alec Marsh is set to begin a new throwing progression after being shut down a few weeks ago due to soreness in his right shoulder. The team hopes to have him back by June. Meanwhile, speedy outfielder Dairon Blanco is also on the mend from a right Achilles injury and could be headed for a rehab assignment soon.
As the Royals navigate through their injury woes, the team’s performance in this game shows that they can rally together and support each other, even when their ace is sidelined. With the right adjustments and a focus on health, Kansas City aims to build on this victory and improve their standing as the season progresses.
