Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro shared some positive updates on left-handed pitcher Cole Ragans on Friday. According to Quatraro, Ragans is dealing with a “very mild” left groin strain, which he sustained during the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies at Kauffman Stadium. Quatraro emphasized that the team believes they can manage the injury.
Ragans left the game in the fourth inning after experiencing discomfort during his pregame warmup. The tightness in his groin flared up in the first inning, and although he tried to continue, he alerted the training staff and coaches. The Royals played it safe by pulling him from the game, and Ragans underwent treatment along with an MRI to assess the injury’s severity.
“I feel like I’m in a better place today than I was yesterday,” Ragans said. “Getting treatment definitely helped; it’s looser than it was yesterday, even this morning. So it’s trending in the right direction. I’m not sure what caused it, it just tightened up.” Ragans struggled in his three innings of work, giving up four earned runs and walking two batters. He admitted that the injury affected his performance, particularly with his command. “I wasn’t commanding the breaking balls well, and my stuff didn’t have the usual life,” Ragans explained.
The Royals have labeled Ragans as day-to-day and will monitor his recovery closely. His next start will be determined based on his progress. The team has a day off on Monday before heading on a three-game road trip to face the Tampa Bay Rays.
“It’s too early to tell about his next start,” Quatraro said. “Today is Day 1, and he feels good today. We’ll just have to see how he progresses over the next couple of days.” Ragans remains optimistic about making his next start, despite never having dealt with a groin injury before. He mostly feels the tightness when he throws, but is hopeful for a quick recovery. “We’ll see what happens,” Ragans said. “I’ll come in tomorrow for more treatment.”
