Bubic didn't factor into the decision Tuesday against the Astros after allowing one run on six hits and one walk in 6.1 innings. He struck out nine.
Bubic established a season high and tied a career best in punchouts, generating a staggering 22 swinging strikes. Not only was it the sixth quality start of the year for the left-hander, but Tuesday also marked the fifth time in nine starts that he worked at least six frames while giving up one run or fewer. Bubic will take a superb 1.66 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 56:15 K:BB across 54.1 innings into his next scheduled appearance against the Giants, who own a weak .638 OPS versus left-handed pitching over their first 42 games.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Blanks White Sox in fourth win
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Bubic (4-2) earned the win Thursday over the White Sox, allowing six hits and one walk across seven scoreless innings. He struck out seven.
It was another stellar outing from Bubic, who's now held opponents scoreless in three of his last four starts. The southpaw's ERA is down to 1.69 through eight starts (48 innings) this year with a 1.10 WHIP and 47:14 K:BB. Bubic will look to keep rolling in his next outing, currently scheduled for next week in Houston.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Tosses five scoreless frames in win
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Bubic (3-2) earned the victory over Baltimore on Saturday, allowing four hits and issuing one walk while striking out three batters over five scoreless innings.
Under normal circumstances, Bubic would have probably been allowed to go deeper -- he was pulled after throwing just 72 pitches through five innings -- but a rain delay after the first frame likely impacted his early exit. Nonetheless, the southpaw bounced back well from his worst start of the season, as he allowed four runs over five innings against Houston in his previous outing. Bubic has been a revelation for the Royals and for fantasy managers in the early part of the season -- he holds a 1.98 ERA (seventh-best among qualified pitchers) and 1.12 WHIP along with a 40:13 K:BB through 41 innings. He's lined up for a favorable matchup against the White Sox in his next start.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Allows four runs in loss
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Bubic (2-2) took the loss against the Astros on Sunday, allowing four runs on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts over five innings.
Bubic surrendered a three-run home run to Yordan Alvarez in the third inning and was pulled at 93 pitches after allowing another run in the fifth. It was the first time in six starts this season that the southpaw yielded more than three earned runs. He still owns a 2.25 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 37:12 K:BB across 36 innings and lines up for a road matchup with the Orioles next weekend.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Dazzles with seven scoreless
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Bubic did not factor into the decision in Tuesday's win over the Rockies, allowing just four hits and striking out six over seven scoreless innings. He did not issue a walk.
Bubic lowered his ERA to 1.45, which is currently ninth best in all of baseball. He racked up 14 whiffs and was all over the strike zone with 62 strikes on 91 pitches. Tuesday marked the first time he's reached seven innings since the 2022 season. Bubic will have a chance to complete a two-start week when he takes on the Astros this weekend.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Limits damage in no-decision
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Bubic didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Yankees after allowing three runs on seven hits and four walks in 5.1 innings. He struck out six.
The left-hander escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning, but an Anthony Volpe double in the third inning brought in a pair of runs to get the Yankees on the board. Although he gave up another run in the fourth, Bubic limited the damage by getting Jazz Chisholm to fly out with the bases juiced once again. Bubic is on the rise to begin 2025, boasting a 1.88 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 27:9 K:BB through four starts (24 innings), and he'll have a prime opportunity to enhance his numbers in his next scheduled start next week at home against Colorado.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Hit with first loss
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Bubic (2-1) took the loss after giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks while striking out five batters in six innings Friday against the Guardians.
The 27-year-old cruised through the first three innings with relatively little trouble, but he finally conceded his first earned runs of the season on a three-run homer from Gabriel Arias in the fourth. Bubic was able to get through the sixth inning without allowing any more runs, giving him his third quality start in as many appearances. However, a poor showing from the Royals' offense resulted in the left-hander taking his first loss of the year. He'll hope for a bit more run support in his next start when he takes on the Yankees in the Bronx.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Brilliant again in second win
Rotowire
Bubic (2-0) earned the win Sunday versus Baltimore, completing 6.2 innings while allowing one run on five hits and a walk. He struck out eight.
The Kansas City southpaw absolutely stymied the Orioles over his 99 pitches, generating an impressive 16 whiffs, with half of those coming on his changeup. The only blemish on his line came in the seventh inning when Bubic was tiring -- he allowed Ryan Mountcastle to cross the plate on a wild pitch. Bubic might be in line for a breakout season, as he's opened with 12.2 scoreless innings with a 16:3 K:BB. The 27-year-old lines up to make his next start against the Guardians on the road next weekend.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Wins spot in rotation
Rotowire
Bubic has won the fifth starter role for the Royals with Daniel Lynch moving to the bullpen, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Bubic looks set to make his first regular season start against the Brewers in the second series of the season. Bubic has yielded six runs with a 13:3 K:BB over 13 innings this spring and will look to carry over his success last season as a reliever (32.2 percent strikeout rate over 30.1 regular-season innings) into the rotation.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Appears locked into No. 5 spot
Rotowire
Bubic is likely to open the season as the Royals' fifth starter, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Daniel Lynch gave himself a fighting chance to nab a rotation spot with a strong showing this spring, but he made a one-inning relief appearance Wednesday and is scheduled for another relief outing Friday, which points to Bubic opening in the rotation. Bubic has yielded six runs with a 13:3 K:BB over 13 innings this spring and will look to carry over his success last season as a reliever (32.2 percent strikeout rate over 30.1 regular-season innings) into the rotation.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Leading fifth starter candidate
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Bubic is seen as the frontrunner for Kansas City's fifth starter role, MLB.com reports. He gave up one run over two innings with two strikeouts in his spring debut Sunday.
Bubic also debuted a new sinker, which he hopes to use against lefties, the MLB.com report adds. It was Bubic's first spring training start in two years as he spent the first three months last season rehabbing from April 2023 Tommy John surgery. The lefty thrived out of the bullpen last season, working his way into high-leverage innings and collecting seven holds and a save. His 32.2 percent strikeout rate was by far his career best, but it's not clear he'll be able to handle a starter's workload or maintain that high a strikeout rate with more usage.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Settles at $3 million
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The Royals and Bubic avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $3 million contract Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Bubic thrived in relief in 2024 in his first full year back from Tommy John surgery, holding a 2.67 ERA and 39:5 K:BB over 30.1 regular-season frames. The lefty will be stretched out in spring training as the Royals consider him for their rotation.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Steps in for save
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Bubic picked up the save Sunday against Atlanta, allowing one hit and no walks with one strikeout across a scoreless ninth inning.
The Royals opted for Bubic in the ninth inning, giving regular closer Lucas Erceg extra rest ahead of the playoffs. Bubic capitalized with his first save of 2024. Erceg hasn't pitched since Thursday, though that outing was his third in as many days. Bubic should see high-leverage work in the postseason, but save opportunities are still expected to go to Erceg.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Secures first win
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Bubic (1-1) allowed a hit and struck out two over a scoreless inning to earn the win Thursday over the Nationals.
Bubic has limited opponents to two unearned runs over his last 10 innings while posting a 15:2 K:BB in that span. He kept Thursday's game tied at 4-4 in the eighth inning before the Royals surged ahead in the ninth. Bubic has a 2.76 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 38:5 K:BB over 29.1 innings while adding seven holds this season. He's handled the transition from starter to reliever well and should be part of the Royals' high-leverage mix if they make the postseason.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Perfect in debut
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Bubic struck out two during a perfect inning in a 10-1 win over the Rockies on Sunday.
Bubic made his first MLB appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery in April of 2023 and didn't show any rust. He retired the side in the ninth inning and punched out both Jacob Stallings and Michael Toglia. Though Bubic has almost exclusively worked as a starter throughout his career, he's expected to serve in a multi-inning relief role for the back half of the 2024 campaign.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Back from injured list
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The Royals reinstated Bubic (elbow) from the 60-day injured list Saturday.
Bubic has been on the injured list all season while working his way back from the Tommy John procedure he underwent last April. In nine rehab appearances with Triple-A Omaha, the 26-year-old lefty posted a 2.63 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over 27.1 innings. He'll transition to the bullpen as he returns to Kansas City and will likely serve in a multi-inning relief role. Walter Pennington was optioned to Omaha in order to make room on the active roster, and Colin Selby was DFA'd to clear a 40-man spot.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Moving to relief on rehab
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Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said Monday that Bubic (elbow) is being transitioned to the bullpen on his rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Bubic has been granted an extra 10 days to continue his rehab assignment and now is tracking toward activation from the 60-day injured list in early July. The lefty's results on his rehab assignment have been promising, as he holds a 3.38 ERA and 36:11 K:BB over 29.1 innings. However, the Royals have determined Bubic's best shot at helping the big club is in relief. He's coming back from Tommy John surgery, which he underwent last April.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Completes 10th rehab start
Rotowire
Bubic (elbow) made his most recent rehab start Friday with Triple-A Omaha, working four innings while striking out three and allowing two runs on four hits and three walks.
The outing was Bubic's fourth with Omaha and the 10th overall of his rehab assignment, which has now been extended another 10 days on two occasions after he exhausted his initial 30-day rehab window. His second 10-day extension period will come to an end June 26, at which point the Royals are likely to activate Bubic from the 60-day injured list. Kansas City doesn't seem to have a spot available in its rotation for Bubic at the moment, so he'll presumably be optioned to Omaha once activated. Bubic has posted a 2.16 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 15:6 K:BB in 16.2 innings through his first four starts with Omaha.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Strikes out seven in rehab start
Rotowire
Bubic (elbow) struck out seven over 3.2 scoreless innings in his rehab start Wednesday with Triple-A Omaha. He gave up one hit and one walk in the 63-pitch outing.
Wednesday's outing marked the seventh start of Bubic's rehab assignment and his first with Omaha after stops in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League and Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Bubic's 30-day rehab window is slated to come to a close during the upcoming week, and even though he's coming off his longest and best rehab outing yet, the Royals may not have a spot available for him in the big-league rotation. Bubic still has a minor-league option remaining, so the Royals could choose to keep him around with Omaha once he's reinstated fro the 60-day injured list.
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Royals' Kris Bubic: Set to be transferred to Double-A
Rotowire
Bubic (elbow) will have his rehab assignment transferred to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Bubic began his rehab assignment at the Royals' rookie level Arizona Complex affiliate May 7, and he'll now advance to Double-A. He made three appearances at the rookie level, allowing one run on four hits and two walks while striking out eight batters over 3.1 innings. The left-hander has been on the 60-day injured list since February as he has continued to recover from the Tommy John surgery he underwent last April.
