KANSAS CITY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Just after the Royals locked down Seth Lugo to a two-year extension worth $46 million, Royals Beat Writer Anne Rodgers reported that the Royals will be shutting down all-star starter Kris Bubic for the remainder of the season.

Bubic has a left rotator cuff strain and was placed on the 15-day injured list (IL) as a precautionary measure. After further examination of the injury, the Royals decided to shut him down.

This is a massive loss for the Royals as Kris Bubic was electric to start 2025. He was top ten in ERA with a sub-three ERA and 116 strikeouts, which breaks his previous career high of 114 set in 2021.

Bubic received his first all-star game selection and was on pace for over 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career, but with a rotator cuff injury like his, it is better to be safe than sorry.

A torn rotator cuff is something athletes don’t normally come back from. Bubic would have been looking at upwards of nine or more months of recovery, and if the surgery went wrong or the cuff tears again after recovery, he would most likely be forced to retire.

The Royals still have a great pitching core in Lugo and St. Joseph native, Noah Cameron, but the absence of Bubic will be noticeable.

The MLB trade deadline is on Thursday, July 31, making the possibility for the Royals to snag a starting pitcher even higher.