Royals' Kris Bubic Nears Return to Mound With Latest Announcement

The Kansas City Royals announced Monday that they expect left-handed pitcher Kris Bubic to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday.

Bubic was placed on the 15-day injured list in mid-May with left elbow soreness. Given the left-hander's injury history involving his throwing arm, the Royals have taken a cautious approach with his recovery.

The 28-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery in 2023 and was later sidelined for the second half of the 2025 season with a left rotator cuff strain.

Kris Bubic hoping to regain form after injury setback

May 14, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic (50) delivers a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Bubic was off to a solid start in 2026 before landing on the injured list. Through 50 1/3 innings, he posted a 4.11 ERA with 51 strikeouts.

Four of his nine starts this season have been quality starts.

This is a significant season for Bubic, as he is set to become a free agent after the 2026 campaign.

Before suffering a season-ending injury in 2025, the left-hander was playing some of the best baseball of his career.

He logged 116 1/3 innings with a 2.55 ERA and 116 strikeouts. That performance earned him the first All-Star selection of his career.

Not only did his production on the mound earn him an All-Star selection, but it also made him one of the Royals' most-discussed trade candidates during the offseason.

Those discussions have not gone away, as Bubic is still viewed as one of the Royals' most likely trade candidates ahead of this year's deadline.

USA Today's Bob Nightengale recently reported that Bubic is a player of interest for the Athletics.

The left-hander is the first Royals player to be connected to another club ahead of the deadline. As the season continues, trade speculation surrounding Bubic and other Kansas City players will likely become more frequent.

Bubic's return to the mound would be a significant boost for the Royals. Kansas City's pitching staff has been plagued by injuries this season, affecting both the starting rotation and the bullpen.

More recently, those injury concerns have extended to the lineup, with several position players dealing with a handful of bumps and bruises.

It appears Kansas City may be heating up after winning five of its last seven games and securing back-to-back series wins.

Adding Bubic back to a rotation that ranks second in Major League Baseball with 33 quality starts would only strengthen Kansas City's recent success.

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