Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans underwent a UCL repair in his pitching elbow Wednesday that will sideline him for 10-12 months, the team announced Thursday, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com.
"That's a big loss," general manager J.J. Picollo said prior to Ragans' procedure. "But we're working on two months here without having Cole anyway, so it's not like this is a new thing. But we know how talented he is and how much he can help us win. ... He knows what's ahead of him, and he'll be able to get back as quick as possible. Hopefully, he's a great addition to our team sometime in the middle part of (next) year."
Ragans has already undergone two Tommy John surgeries (March 2018, May 2019). Those procedures involved a full reconstruction of the UCL.
He's expected to address the media Saturday.
The 28-year-old posted a 4.84 ERA with 6.19 FIP and 45 strikeouts in 35 1/3 innings (eight starts) this season. He's logged just 95 innings (21 starts) over the last two years due to multiple injuries.
Ragans finished fourth in 2024 AL Cy Young voting during his only All-Star campaign.
