I always used to get Tarik Skubal and Kris Bubic mixed up. Both were brought up around the same time as a bigger pitching prospect [Mize and Singer], both were injured for a solid year and were sort of relegated to the background upon coming back, and both have interesting names. Bubic always stuck out to me because he looked like a cross between the kid from the Wonder Years and Barry Keoghan. Just some young smirky kid who just had no luck whatsoever [a lot like Barry Keoghan in everything he's ever been in, including his relationship with Sabrina Carpenter [people over like 35 can just tune this bit out]]. Last year the rotation was full and there was a whole thing of 'is he just gonna be a bullpen guy now? Is somebody gonna trade for him?', and the Royals clearly saw something in him, cause they traded Singer to make rotation space for him.
So the Royals are working with a rotation of Lugo-Ragans-Lorenzen-Wacha-Bubic right now, and somehow Bubic is the standout. Kinda like Tarik Skubal in Detroit last year. Coming out of virtually nowhere and making a name for himself.
In fairness, unlike Skubal, Bubic came into some trouble with the Yankees. But aside from that he's been brilliant. So far he's got a 1.88 ERA, he's 2-1 and he's struck out 27. Maybe not a huge bar considering Ragans has struck out 42 already, but just some dominant, respectable stuff. Bubic is 27, meaning that if anything's going to happen then it had better happen soon, and the way things are going it's looking like this is the year. Ragans is still strong at the top of the rotation, and the others are at the very least catching up.
The difference maker so far for the Royals has been the bullpen. You saw all the pieces slowly come onto this team last year but fail to coexist. And Lucas Ecreg's injury is kind of a small issue. But Carlos Estevez, Hunter Harvey, Daniel Lynch and John Schreiber have all banded together to form a really nice pack for this 'pen. Harvey's yet to allow a run so far. Estevez already has 5 saves and is looking like his Anaheim self [meaning he really just does better in smaller markets]. Erceg before the injury was pretty rad too, and hopefully he won't be out for too long.
So...pitching-wise, generally, the Royals are in business. The issue is the hitting. Aside from Bobby Witt it's just not really happening right now. Perez, Pasquantino and India are cold. Renfroe's hitting .130. M.J. Melendez got sent down to the minors today. Nobody has more than 2 home runs, or more than 13 RBIs. It's a very quiet, meager bunch, and that's why they're under .500 a year after making the playoffs. Maybe it's the schedule, maybe it's a cold front, but these guys aren't showing up. I'd hate for them to waste such a breakout pitching year.
Hopefully it all comes together, but I, as a fantasy owner, am beginning to lose my patience with Vinnie Pasquantino. The man has always been in position to do great things, and it'd be nice if he did some.
Coming Tomorrow- His start to the season may not be as legendary to his start to 2024, but he's still made a lot of fans in Chicago.
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