Royals Secure Future with Cole Ragans: A Three-Year Extension

Royals Secure Future with Cole Ragans: A Three-Year Extension

In a move that has Kansas City Royals fans buzzing with excitement, the team has locked in a key piece of their pitching rotation for the foreseeable future. Left-hander Cole Ragans and the Kansas City Royals have agreed on a three-year, $13.25 million contract extension, according to sources who spoke with ESPN on Friday. This deal ensures that Ragans will remain a Royal up until a year before he reaches free agency.

The contract covers the 2025 to 2027 seasons, with Ragans set to earn $1.25 million this season, $4.5 million next year, and $7.5 million in the final year of the deal. This extension means Ragans will hit free agency after the 2028 season, giving the Royals a solid window to capitalize on his talents.

Ragans’ journey to becoming one of the most feared pitchers in baseball is nothing short of remarkable. After enduring back-to-back Tommy John surgeries, which often spell the end of a pitcher’s career, Ragans didn’t throw a professional pitch for nearly three years. However, his resilience paid off when he ascended to the big leagues with the Texas Rangers. After making nine starts and 17 relief appearances, he was traded to Kansas City in exchange for free agent-to-be reliever Aroldis Chapman.

While Chapman played a crucial role in helping the Rangers win the World Series, Ragans quickly blossomed into a frontline starter for the Royals. With a fastball that can reach triple digits and a diverse array of off-speed pitches, Ragans combined strikeout prowess with impressive control. His efforts earned him a spot on his first All-Star team last year, as he posted a 3.14 ERA with 223 strikeouts and 67 walks in 186⅓ innings.

Ragans, along with Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha—who re-signed as a free agent in November—formed the backbone of Kansas City’s surprising playoff run. In addition to retaining Wacha, the Royals bolstered their roster by signing closer Carlos Estevez and trading right-hander Brady Singer for second baseman Jonathan India to complement MVP runner-up Bobby Witt Jr.

The Royals’ decision to extend Ragans’ contract is a strategic move to secure their pitching future. By offering him nearly a half-million dollars over the major league minimum this year, they are buying out the first two years of arbitration with near-top-of-the-market salaries in a system that is comparable-based. For instance, as a first-time arbitration-eligible player with similar numbers to Ragans’, Seattle Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert made $4.05 million last season.

Avoiding arbitration allows Kansas City to sidestep the possibility of Ragans winning a Cy Young Award and using the achievement to seek an arbitration salary similar to Corbin Burnes, who parlayed the award into a $6.5 million settlement.

• Ragans’ contract: $1.25 million this season, $4.5 million next year, $7.5 million in 2027.
• Ragans’ 2023 stats: 3.14 ERA, 223 strikeouts, 67 walks in 186⅓ innings.
• Royals’ key players: Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Carlos Estevez, Jonathan India, Bobby Witt Jr.

With this extension, the Royals are not only investing in Ragans’ potential but also in the team’s future success. As the Royals continue to build a competitive roster, fans can look forward to seeing Ragans take the mound and deliver more electrifying performances.