Fantasy News

• Royals' Cole Ragans: Fans eight in dominant outing

  Rotowire Apr 14, 2024

  Ragans allowed five hits and a walk over six shutout frames in a no-decision Sunday. He struck out eight during the loss to the Mets. Ragans faced a few small threats from the Mets lineup but ultimately cruised through six frames. Despite dropping his season ERA to 1.93 through 23.1 frames, he's still searching for his first win. The 26-year-old southpaw has forced at least 13 whiffs in each of his first four starts, including 15 in Sunday's contest. Ragans' next start is expected to be at home against the Orioles.

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• Royals' Cole Ragans: Ineffective versus Astros

  Rotowire Apr 9, 2024

  Ragans gave up three runs on 10 hits and a walk while striking out five over five innings in Tuesday's 4-3 extra-inning win over the Astros. He did not factor into the decision. Ragans didn't have his best stuff Tuesday, and it was evident early when he allowed three batters to reach base in each of the first two innings. The left-hander had given up only six hits over two starts coming into the matchup with Houston, a figure the Astros came close to doubling. Although Ragans couldn't find his groove Tuesday, his ability to limit the damage was impressive. He'll look to get back on track in his next projected start, which lines up for Sunday on the road against the Mets.

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• Royals' Cole Ragans: Strong start wasted Wednesday

  Rotowire Apr 4, 2024

  Ragans came away with a no-decision in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Orioles, allowing one hit and two walks over 6.1 scoreless innings. He struck out seven. He retired the first 10 batters he faced, and the only Baltimore hitter to get into scoring position against Ragans was Adley Rutschman, who got stranded on second base twice. The southpaw produced 30 called or swinging strikes among his 91 pitches and exited the game with the Royals ahead 3-0, but James McArthur and Will Smith combined to blow the lead. Ragans sports 16:5 K:BB through his first 12.1 innings this season with two quality starts in two trips to the mound. He'll look to keep rolling in his next outing, which lines up for a home start early next week against the Astros.

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• Royals' Cole Ragans: Strikes out nine in tough loss

  Rotowire Mar 29, 2024

  Ragans (0-1) tossed six innings of two-run baseball, allowing five hits and three walks while striking out nine while taking the loss Thursday against the Twins. Ragans picked up where he left off in 2023 with more strikeouts than innings pitched Thursday, but he didn't receive much run support. The hard-throwing lefty started 12 games for the Royals last season after coming over in a mid-season trade from Texas and posted a 2.64 ERA with 89 strikeouts over 71.2 innings. He's expected to continue his ascent as one of the top young left-handed starters in the American League this season.

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• Royals' Cole Ragans: Named Opening Day starter

  Rotowire Mar 17, 2024

  The Royals announced Sunday that Ragans will start their Opening Day game March 28 versus the Twins at Kauffman Stadium, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. After being acquired from the Rangers last June, Ragans was a revelation for the Royals upon stepping into the big-league rotation. Over his 12 starts with Kansas City to close out last season, Ragans posted a 2.64 ERA and 89:27 K:BB across 71.2 innings. He's carried that momentum over to the Cactus League this spring, allowing four earned runs over 8.2 innings while striking out 10 and issuing just two walks. Ragans' lack of an established track record makes it tough to bank on him completely repeating his hot run to end the 2023 season, but he should continue to pile up strikeouts even if his ERA takes a dramatic turn for the worse.

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• Royals' Cole Ragans: Looking good for rotation

  Rotowire Mar 2, 2024

  Ragans has allowed four hits and a walk while striking out eight over five scoreless innings across two Cactus League starts. Ragans' focus early in the spring slate has been to make in-game adjustments when he struggles, though that has been rare so far. "I felt like last year there were a few outings I struggled with it," Ragans said. "So it's been great. I felt like today, I did a really good job of it. It was more so finding the right thought process, I guess you could say, of what I tell myself to get back to the right mechanics. I felt like I took a big step last year making the adjustment, so kind of building off it this spring." Ragans is also working on his command with his slider. The 26-year-old southpaw is entering his second full season, but he looks to have all the tools to become the Royals' ace in 2024.

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• Royals' Cole Ragans: Struggles with command in loss

  Rotowire Sep 29, 2023

  Ragans (7-5) took the loss Thursday, allowing four runs on five hits and four walks over 6.1 innings against the Tigers. He struck out eight. Ragans shut out the Tigers over the first six innings, but ran into trouble in the bottom of the seventh after allowing a single and back-to-back walks. The lefty would eventually be charged with four runs in the frame, though two of those runs came across after he was relieved by Carlos Hernandez. Ragans has allowed four or more runs in two of his last three starts, though this was the third consecutive outing in which he's gone at least six innings. He's also issued four walks in back-to-back starts.

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• Royals' Cole Ragans: Fans seven in no-decision

  Rotowire Sep 17, 2023

  Ragans came away with a no-decision Saturday, surrendering five runs on six hits and two walks over six-plus innings as the Royals downed the Astros 10-8. He struck out seven. The southpaw blanked Houston for four innings before beginning to unravel, but after putting the first two batters aboard in the seventh, Ragans still left the mound in line for his seventh win before Collin Snider served up a game-tying homer to Jose Altuve. Ragans has been a revelation since being acquired from Texas in the Aroldis Chapman deal, delivering a 2.28 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 76:19 K:BB through 59.1 innings over his first 10 starts for Kansas City. He lines up for a rematch with the Astros back in Houston next weekend.

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• Royals' Cole Ragans: Dominates in sixth win

  Rotowire Sep 4, 2023

  Ragans (6-4) earned the win Monday against the White Sox, allowing two runners (one hit and one hit-by-pitch) over six scoreless innings. He struck out seven. Ragans' amazing break out continued Monday afternoon as he retired the first 13 batters faced. In total, he only had to face 19 total batters to record 18 outs while generating 22 swings-and-misses. Ragans has been elite since debuting for the Royals on July 15. In eight starts since then, he's had a 1.51 ERA and 11.9 K/9 over 47.2 innings.

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• Royals' Cole Ragans: Comes back to Earth

  Rotowire Aug 12, 2023

  Ragans (3-4) took the loss Saturday, allowing four runs on seven hits and four walks over five innings against St. Louis. He struck out five. Ragans made his fourth start of the season Saturday and entered the contest having allowed just two runs in 17.2 innings to go along with a 22:4 K:BB as a starter, but he struggled mightily against the Cardinals. He served up four runs while setting a season high in walks and tying his season high in hits allowed. Ragans is tentatively scheduled for a start against the Cubs at Wrigley Field next week.

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• Royals' Cole Ragans: Possible waiver wire pickups

  Rotowire Aug 3, 2023

  If I'm claiming in my case for Nick Pivetta that the well has run dry at starting pitcher and we may have to take bigger risks just to fill out our lineups, then I'd be remiss not to point out what Ragans did in his return to the Royals rotation Wednesday. Filling the spot vacated by Ryan Yarbrough at the trade deadline, he had the Mets flailing meekly at his four-pitch arsenal, which was all brought together by a much slower cutter than he's implemented in the past. Really, it was more of a slider, which he thinks will create more differentiation with his fastball and help to neutralize lefties. They were on the other end of four of his eight strikeouts in this one. One good start may not be reason to rush out and add Ragans, but between this new pitch and the velocity bump he's enjoyed all year, there may be something here.

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• Royals' Cole Ragans: Recalled for start Wednesday

  Rotowire Aug 2, 2023

  Kansas City recalled Ragans from Triple-A Omaha ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday against the Mets. Ragans pitched pretty well in a spot start for the Royals last month against the Rays, but the 25-year-old left-hander owns a career 5.06 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 54:32 K:BB in 69.1 total innings of work at the major-league level. He is not a recommended fantasy streamer versus New York.

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• Royals' Cole Ragans: Starting Wednesday

  Rotowire Aug 2, 2023

  Ragans will be promoted from Triple-A Omaha to start Wednesday's game against the Mets, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. Wednesday's start was originally supposed to go to Alec Marsh, but Marsh's start will be pushed back to the weekend because he entered Tuesday's game out of the bullpen. Ragans holds a 4.13 ERA and 1.38 WHIP through 28.1 innings in Triple-A this season, but he surrendered just one run over five innings during his start against the Rays on July 15.

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• Royals' Cole Ragans: Returns to minors after spot start

  Rotowire Jul 15, 2023

  Ragans was returned to Triple-A Omaha on Saturday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports. The move comes shortly after Ragans fared well in a spot start in the second game of a doubleheader against the Rays, as the lefty fanned three over five innings of one-run ball. Ragans was the 27th man Saturday, so the Royals could bring him back at any time without having to wait 15 days, which would have been the case had he been recalled and optioned. There would seem to be a good chance Ragans has earned another start at some point next week.

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• Rangers' Cole Ragans: Takes lumps in loss

  Rotowire May 16, 2023

  Ragans allowed four runs on four hits and two walks while striking out four over three innings in Monday's 12-0 loss to Atlanta. Ragans ceded his first two home runs of the season in clean-up work following rookie starter Cody Bradford, who allowed six earned runs over five innings. Eating multiple innings in relief is Ragans' job, and he's hit some bumps along the way. The left-hander has allowed 12 runs over his last 12.1 innings.

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• Rangers' Cole Ragans: Plays major role in loss

  Rotowire Apr 26, 2023

  Ragans allowed five runs on three hits and one walk over two-thirds of an inning in Tuesday's 7-6 loss to the Reds. He also hit a batter. Ragans managed to avoid getting the loss -- that went to Ian Kennedy -- but the fault falls mostly on Ragans. It was the second straight bullpen meltdown by Texas relievers. The bullpen had been strong to begin the season but are in a rough patch, posting a 6.75 ERA over 13.1 innings since the start of the series with the Athletics last week.

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• Rangers' Cole Ragans: Handed first loss Saturday

  Rotowire Apr 16, 2023

  Ragans (2-1) allowed two runs on five hits while striking out three over four innings, picking up the loss in Saturday's game against the Astros. Ragans was forced to enter the game when starter Jon Gray was removed following a comebacker off his elbow. That's never an easy situation for a pitcher, but the 25-year-old lefty filled up the zone (40 of 55 pitches for strikes) in an effort to get quick outs and eat up as many innings as possible. "Cole did a good job for us, gave us some much needed innings," Texas manager Bruce Bochy told Kenndi Landry of MLB.com. "He did a really nice job getting us some length to the seventh inning." Gray's injury appears to be a minor one, and he could make his next start, so Ragans may not be needed for a spot start. The lefty, who was a minor-league starter, has adjusted well to a bullpen role in 2023, giving up two runs on seven hits while striking out nine over nine innings (six outings). Of note, after issuing four free passes in his first 3.1 innings, Ragans is walk-free over the last 5.2 frames.

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• Rangers' Cole Ragans: Dominates early

  Rotowire Mar 12, 2023

  Ragans allowed two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out five over 3.2 innings in Saturday's start against the Reds. Ragans dominated Cincinnati early, getting through the first three innings one batter over the minimum, but the left-hander tired in the fourth. Nevertheless, Ragans has been one of the top stories in camp due to increased fastball velocity. He leads Texas with 14 strikeouts over 9.2 innings. With the rotation all but set in stone, Ragans, who made nine starts for Texas last season, could serve in the bullpen at the MLB level or continue on a starter's path at Triple-A Round Rock and be ready when the Rangers need a fill-in.

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• Rangers' Cole Ragans: Increases velocity

  Rotowire Mar 3, 2023

  Texas manager Bruce Bochy said Ragans was hitting 95-96 mph during his first Cactus League start last Sunday, Levi Weaver of The Athletic reports. Ragans' fastball velocity was 92.1 mph in 2022, putting him in the 19th percentile among pitchers. The velocity increase is startling. "I went back and looked at (last year's) games when I came over, and watched him," Bochy said. "It was impressive, wasn't it? He was bumping 96 (mph). I didn't see that in (last year's) games." The left-hander said he was on a program at a place called Tread Athletics, which he credits with the added 3-4 mph velocity. He's not a projected member of the five-man rotation, but he could move up among the depth options if the uptick in velocity is sustainable.

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• Rangers' Cole Ragans: Lands on injured list

  Rotowire Oct 3, 2022

  Ragans was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left calf strain Monday. Ragans made his final start of the year against the Angels on Saturday and allowed a run on four hits and a walk while striking out two in five innings to settle for a no-decision. Even though he wouldn't have pitched again in 2022, he's dealing with a calf issue that will force him to finish the year on the IL. It's not yet clear whether the injury will have any impact on his offseason program.

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