Royals place Bubic on IL with rotator cuff strain

The Kansas City Royals lost another one of their starting pitchers Sunday, as left-hander Kris Bubic was placed on the 15-day injured list with a rotator cuff strain.

Right-hander Jonathan Bowlan was recalled from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move.

Bubic's injury halts what's been a breakout 2025 season: The 27-year-old earned his first All-Star berth by posting a 2.55 ERA, 2.85 FIP, and 1.18 WHIP along with 116 strikeouts and just six homers allowed across 20 starts. He also places fourth in the AL in fWAR among qualified pitchers.

However, Bubic struggled in his start against Cleveland on Saturday. He allowed four runs (three earned) and walked four over 2 2/3 innings, battling velocity and command issues throughout the abbreviated outing. Following the game, Bubic told reporters that he'd been dealing with shoulder stiffness and noted that "physically, something's not right," according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com.

It's currently unclear how long Bubic may be sidelined. For now, the Royals plan for the southpaw to undergo further testing to determine the severity of his injury, according to Rogers.

Bubic is the third Royals starter to land on the IL since June, joining ace Cole Ragans, who's also out with a strained rotator cuff, and right-hander Michael Lorenzen.

Kansas City entered Sunday sitting three games under .500 and 4.5 games back of the final AL playoff spot. Still, the team appears to be approaching the deadline as cautious buyers, having acquired outfielder/designated hitter Randal Grichuk from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night.

Grichuk was activated in time for Sunday's contest, and he'll bat sixth and play right field in the Royals' series finale against Cleveland. To make room for Grichuk on the active roster, Kansas City placed rookie outfielder Jac Caglianone on the 10-day IL with a strained left hamstring.