Cole Ragans talks about Opening Day start for Royals, two Tommy John surgeries in consecutive years & watching Bobby Witt Jr. excel daily (Exclusive)

It was an under-the-radar trade last June and the Texas Rangers needed bullpen help so they added veteran reliever Aroldis Chapman from the Kansas City Royals for minor league outfielder Roni Cabrera and swingman Cole Ragans. It could become one of the better deals in recent Royals history.

Cabrera, now 18, is a lottery ticket, a teenager playing in the Dominican Summer League. Ragans was the primary target in the deal: A former first-round pick (30th overall) in the 2016 draft whose career had been slowed by injuries.

Ragans was shifted from the rotation to the bullpen in 2023 by the Rangers and he posted a 5.92 ERA in 17 games as a reliever.

Once the big left-hander, now 26, arrived in Kansas City, he was moved back into the rotation. And it’s now possible he never leaves.

Ragans was a revelation for Kansas City last year, posting a 2.64 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and an 11.2 strikeout-per-nine rate in 12 starts.

That performance earned him the Opening Day assignment this year for the Royals, and he hasn’t faltered. In four starts spanning 23 1/3 innings, he has struck out 29 batters and walked just seven, posting a 1.93 ERA, which is top 10 in the American League among qualifiers.

The talent has always been there; it’s been a matter of staying off the injured list. Ragans has had two Tommy John surgeries – in consecutive years, 2018 and 2019 – while missing the truncated 2020 season as well.

He now appears to be fully healthy. Because of that, and an array of five pitches, including a 96-mph fastball, Ragans is quickly emerging as one of baseball’s better young lefties on a Kansas City Royals team that looks like it could be in the AL Central hunt this season after losing 106 games in 2023.

Ragans agreed to an exclusive Q&A to discuss what these last few years have been like for him and why Kansas City is the perfect fit for him now.

Editor’s note: The following has been edited and condensed.

You’ve been in pro ball for parts of nine seasons, but it seemed like last year you became an overnight sensation. How does that feel?

Cole Ragans:

It feels good. I always say anyway I can help the team win, that’s what I am here to do. So, whatever I have to do, whatever I need to do to do that, is what I strive for every day.

What has the last year been like for you, being traded away from the eventual World Champion Rangers, the only organization you knew, and then coming here, claiming a rotation spot, and being the 2024 Opening Day starter?

Cole Ragans:

It’s been exciting. I love it here, every aspect of it, from the guys in the clubhouse, the coaches, the front office. Everybody is great. I love Kansas City. The time that I have been here so far has been awesome. I’m looking forward to hopefully having a lot more time here.

What clicked for you in KC after being a reliever in Texas?

Cole Ragans:

I think just getting on a consistent routine of every fifth day knowing that I’m going to get the ball. You get into that routine. We’re creatures of habit. I just got into a good routine and kind of ran with it. Every time I step out there, I’m trying to win. Winning is fun. You win as a team, and you lose as a team. And I try to give us a chance every time I step out there.

When you were named as Opening Day starter, did you allow yourself to think about your journey, the two elbow surgeries, and what you went through to get to that assignment?

Cole Ragans:

Yeah, 100 percent. It’s hard not to reflect. My wife the other day told me that Opening Day was six years to the day I had my first TJ (Tommy John elbow surgery). I had no idea, but my wife came across a video and it had the date on it. So, that was pretty cool. You always look back, but at the same time, I look forward. I look forward to what’s to come. I’m excited. I’m excited about this team, these guys, and what is to come for all of us.

A lot of pitchers go through Tommy John surgery. Some go through two. But to have the surgery twice in consecutive years, that’s both rare and exceptionally difficult. How hard was it to stay mentally focused during that time?

Cole Ragans:

You have your good days, and you have your bad days. It’s kind of who you surround yourself with. I wouldn’t have made it through without my wife. She was my rock through it all. Picking me up on the days I was down and always pushing me to be better each day. The guys that I had in rehab at the time, everybody was going through the same thing at the same time, so we all pushed each other. It sucks. But at the end of the day, I came out the other side and now I’m trying to run with it.

How much more special does it make this current stretch of success for you, given what you had to overcome?

Cole Ragans:

Very special. Any time you get to play in the big leagues, regardless, is special. That’s what everybody dreams about as a kid. So, getting to play in the big leagues and compete with and against some of the best players in the world, it’s special. It’s fun. And definitely I don’t take it for granted.

Speaking of the best players in the world, you have one in your clubhouse it looks like in 23-year-old shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. What have you seen from him since you have been with the Royals?

Cole Ragans:

He is just a special player. An incredible human being, an incredible baseball player. You never know what you’re gonna see with him. He’s extremely fun to watch. I can’t wait to see what he has got in store this season after last season, when he was the first 30-30 in the Royals’ history.

He had 30 homers and 49 stolen bases at age 23 in his second year in the majors. No one has ever hit 50 homers and stolen 30 bases in one season. But we know his power is developing and the speed is there. Is that within the realm of his possibility one day?

Cole Ragans:

50-30? I mean, you never know what he’s gonna do. It’s one of those things. I don’t put anything past him. I think he is capable of anything and everything on a baseball field.

Last question: What should people know about Cole Ragans and your journey that maybe the average fan doesn’t know?

Cole Ragans:

I think the biggest thing is I love to win. That’s my goal every day. Win. That’s all I care about. I want to pitch in the playoffs. We all want to win a World Series. That’s the goal every single day, to get a bit closer to that.