This left-hander thrived as a KC Royals reliever. Can he build on that as a starter?
Kansas City Royals left-handed pitcher Kris Bubic made a successful return from Tommy John surgery last season.
Bubic, 27, posted a 2.67 ERA in 30 ⅓ innings. He registered 39 strikeouts and issued five walks while settling into a high-leverage relief role. The Royals relied on Bubic to pitch in big moments against the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees in the postseason.
Now, Bubic is set to compete for a spot in the starting rotation. Royals manager Matt Quatraro told reporters at the Winter Meetings in Dallas that Bubic will be in contention alongside multiple pitchers.
“I think we’re going to stretch out (Kris) Bubic again,” Quatraro said. “He’s been a starter. He adapted tremendously well in that reliever role last year. We couldn’t have anticipated that. All along the (plan) is for him to start.”
The Royals’ starting rotation consists of All-Stars Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo. The club also re-signed veteran pitcher Michael Wacha earlier this offseason. After trading Brady Singer to the Cincinnati Reds, the Royals must fill the No. 4 and No. 5 spots in the rotation.
Bubic has a career 4.99 ERA as a starter. In 2023, Bubic showed encouraging signs in a starting role before undergoing Tommy John surgery. He posted nine strikeouts across six shutout innings in a start against the San Francisco Giants.
The Royals hope Bubic can continue his success in 2025. He throws four primary pitches: a four-seam fastball, slider, changeup and sinker. Opponents hit .179 against his changeup and his slider registered a 25.3% whiff rate.
Bubic headlines a list of capable starting pitching depth on the roster. He will compete for a starting role alongside Daniel Lynch IV, Kyle Wright, Alec Marsh and Noah Cameron among others.
Lynch also thrived in a bullpen role last season. Marsh earned the fifth starter spot in spring training before also transitioning into a relief role in the playoffs.
“We like (Alec) Marsh,” Quatraro said. “We really liked him last year, and we would expect him to continue to grow. Those are the kinds of things — we’ll also stretch out Lynch and see where that goes. You also have to fortify the bullpen, too. We’re lucky we have guys that can do either.”
The Royals are optimistic that Wright returns to form. He missed last season due to right shoulder surgery. In 2022, Wright went 21-5 in 180 ⅓ innings with the Atlanta Braves.
Cameron is an interesting option. He rose through the Royals’ minor-league system and will get a chance to earn a spot in spring training. KC protected him from the Rule 5 Draft and he is a part of the club’s 40-man roster.
While the Royals could consider adding a veteran free-agent pitcher, Bubic has a good chance to step into a crucial role within the starting rotation.
“He’s been a starter his whole career until last year coming back from injury,” Quatraro said. “That’s where we see him.”
