Why Royals ace Cole Ragans declined Team USA invite for World Baseball Classic

The Kansas City Royals will be well represented throughout the 2026 World Baseball Classic this spring.

The Royals have multiple players ready to suit up for their home countries. Bobby Witt Jr. will play for the United States, while Salvador Perez and Maikel Garcia are joining Venezuela for the global tournament.

Elsewhere, Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone will play for Italy. The duo could face Seth Lugo — who is playing for Puerto Rico — and Carlos Estévez will pitch for the Dominican Republic.

However, there is one player who will not be participating. Royals starter Cole Ragans declined a chance to pitch for the United States.

His reason?

Ragans wanted to prepare for the upcoming 2026 campaign and help the Royals return to the postseason.

“He was asked by Team USA to pitch for them,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said. “And very mature decision by him to decide not to — as tempting as it was. But in his mind, he wanted to be healthy. He wanted to ramp up into the season and not be ramped up going into spring training. And I thought it was a real mature decision on his end.”

Ragans dealt with a left rotator cuff strain last season. It cost him significant time until he eventually returned in September. In his final three starts, Ragans posted a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings pitched.

Now, Ragans will enter spring training after a normal offseason. There is hope he returns to form as the ace of the pitching staff. The Royals value his production and both sides are aligned toward making a deep playoff push.

“In the conversations that we had, he mentioned October, too,” Picollo said. “(He said), ‘I need to be healthy in October, too.’ And you know, that makes me feel good because he is thinking about the team. You know, not a lot of guys would turn down pitching for their home country. I know he’ll get an opportunity at some point again, but right now wasn’t the right time for him.”

Ragans owns a 19-14 record with a 3.32 ERA in 57 career games with the Royals. He was named a 2024 All-Star and finished fourth in American League Cy Young voting during that season.

At 28 years old, Ragans is right in his prime years. The Royals expect him to lead the pitching staff as a frontline ace. And this season, there is a chance he could contend for more hardware in the American League.

Fans can get a glimpse at Ragans — along with the entire team — this spring in Surprise, Arizona. Royals pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 10 while the first full-squad workout is set for Feb. 16.

Opening day is set for March 27 against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia.