The Kansas City Royals signed Starting Pitcher Cole Ragans to a three-year $13.25 million contract extension on Friday. He is coming off a great 2024 season. He finished 11-9 with a 3.14 ERA. Ragans finished 12th in ERA and fifth in the league in strikeouts.
He played a major part in helping the Kansas City Royals have one of the best pitching staffs in Major League Baseball last season. Ragans continued pitching well in the MLB Playoffs. He finished with a spectacular 0.90 ERA. Will Ragans and the Kansas City Royals be able to keep up their high level of play in 2025?
Kansas City Royals Season Outlook
Left-hander Cole Ragans and the Kansas City Royals are in agreement on a three-year, $13.25 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN. The deal covers this year and his first two arbitration seasons, giving KC cost certainty and Ragans a near-top-of-the-market arb salary.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 15, 2025
Kansas City is looking to build upon its first playoff berth since winning the World Series in 2015. They defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card Round but lost to the New York Yankees in the ALDS. Kansas City’s offense could never get going in the postseason and it cost them. The pitching staff did all it could but could not overcome a miserable offensive series.
Kansas City’s marquee offseason moves were signing Starting Pitcher Michael Wacha, Starting Pitcher Michael Lorenzen, and Closer Carlos Estevez. Returning for the Kansas City Royals is Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. who finished second in AL MVP voting. Catcher Salvador Perez, who experienced a career resurgence in 2024, is looking to keep it up in 2025.
Final Thoughts
The Royals did a great job locking up Ragans on an affordable deal. He will look to continue anchoring a Royals pitching staff looking to improve upon a spectacular 2024 campaign. If he and the rest of Kansas City’s pitching staff can play well, it should be another successful season for the ballclub.
