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Ragans Shut Down After Elbow Stiffness Follows Triple‑A Rehab Start

A brief shutdown pauses his return, creating uncertainty for the Royals’ rotation while team doctors reassess his elbow.

Overview

  • Ragans was shut down for two to three days after his weekend rehab start, Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Monday.
  • His Triple‑A outing for Omaha covered about 4 1/3 innings and 68 pitches, with one run allowed, three strikeouts and mid-90s fastball velocity.
  • Ragans reported no pain during the game but woke the next day with elbow stiffness that mirrored the symptoms he felt after his May 6 major‑league exit.
  • The team diagnosed the issue as valgus extension overload, a repetition-related elbow impingement, and will follow a conservative, pitch‑counted ramp before resuming throws.
  • The setback complicates Kansas City’s thin rotation because Ragans has two prior Tommy John surgeries and a recent rotator‑cuff absence, so the club will lean on internal depth, bullpen innings and spot starts until reevaluation.