Royals ready for final homestand with Wacha, Ragans expected back

This story was excerpted from Anne Rogers' Royals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

KANSAS CITY -- When the Royals left Kansas City on Sept. 7 for a seven-game, two-city road trip through Cleveland and Philadelphia, the circled series on the calendar was for when they would return to Kauffman Stadium -- a three-game matchup against the Mariners, the team that, at the time, held the final American League Wild Card spot.

The stakes are a little different after a bleak week for the Royals, who went 2-5 on the road trip to fall six games out of a playoff spot. Now the Mariners hold the top spot in the AL West, with the Astros representing the final AL Wild Card spot. The Rangers are two games behind them, followed by the Guardians at 2 1/2 games back.

That doesn’t mean this upcoming series -- and the rest of the final homestand -- isn’t important. The games still matter, especially facing Seattle and Toronto, two AL teams in the thick of the postseason race.

"It’s tough, because you’re fighting for something that you feel is right there,” second baseman Jonathan India said. “One bad week can really turn things, you know? It does suck. It does make you feel down. But it’s part of baseball. This year, it’s not over yet, but it’s been a tough week.

“We've just got to keep putting our head down, keep grinding and finish strong.”

Here’s the good news for the week ahead: The Royals are getting their rotation back together.

Kansas City will welcome Michael Wacha back on Tuesday after a seven-day stint on the injured list with a concussion. And on Wednesday?

Cole Ragans is set to return.

Ragans will be making his first big league start since June 5 after spending the last three months recovering from a left rotator cuff strain. Ragans looked ready to go after his second rehab start in Triple-A Omaha on Friday night, tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts.

The Royals list Thursday’s starter as TBA, but it could be Seth Lugo, who has been on the 15-day IL since Sept. 4 with a low back strain. He’s scheduled to throw a bullpen on Monday, and if all goes well, he could be pegged for his return Thursday.

This year has been injury-riddled for the Royals' rotation. All five members of the Opening Day rotation have seen time on the IL, and Kris Bubic, their All-Star starter this year, is out of the year with a left rotator cuff strain.

But this week will mark having Ragans, Lugo and Wacha back at the top of the rotation for the first time since June -- and, really, even before that, as Ragans only made one start in between his two IL stints for a groin strain in May and the rotator cuff strain.

“They’re the guys we count on,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “They’re three of our horses in the rotation, and any time you can give them the ball -- that’s why we signed them. That’s why we value them on the team. We want to get them back out there.”

The Royals have to decide exactly how the pitching staff is configured around the rotation now, as well as whose spots Wacha and Ragans will take when they return Tuesday and Wednesday. They’ll likely want to ensure enough coverage in the bullpen, especially with Ragans not being built up fully yet.

Some might ask -- especially in Ragans’ case when he hasn’t pitched since June -- why the Royals would bring him back at the end of the season when the playoff odds have taken a nosedive over the last week.

Wouldn’t it be better to protect Ragans -- the Royals’ young lefty ace – for 2026 and put the injury-riddled ‘25 season behind him?

“Cole’s missed a ton of time,” Quatraro said. “We want him to be out there to get some innings and the confidence to be able to go back into the offseason as a normal starter. And look, this has been a tough week, but the season is not over. We get these guys back, we put a little run together here, things can change.”