Grading Every 2026 Royals Player: Starting Pitchers

With the 2026 season behind us, it’s time to review each player's performance. This is the third part of this series; find previous entries here:

• Outfielders & DH
• Infielders

The Royals entered spring training in 2026 with eight pitchers who had major-league experience and were capable of starting in the rotation. By the end of the season, only three of those pitchers remained on the active roster, and they had to transition Daniel Lynch IV from the bullpen to the rotation (he will be covered in the bullpen edition).

The Royals turned to 13 different pitchers to make starts in the 2026 season. Today, we'll focus on the nine pitchers who were primarily starters, ordered by innings pitched. The four other pitchers who started at least a game for the Royals will be covered in the bullpen edition.

Michael Wacha: A

Wacha threw for a career-high 200 2/3 innings in 2026, and he was one of only three pitchers to eclipse the 200 innings mark this season. He led all Royals starters with a 3.32 ERA and earned his second All-Star appearance, his first since 2015. In a season with so many injuries in the rotation in addition to a struggling bullpen, Wacha offered stability and consistency as the workhorse of the pitching staff. 

Noah Cameron: A-

Cameron had an excellent follow-up to his rookie season, where he finished fourth in AL Rookie-of-the-Year voting. Cameron led all Royals pitchers with 2.8 fWAR and had a solid 4.11 ERA across 177 1/3 innings. Cameron was held back by a slow start to the season, but he was able to turn a corner in late July when he started to call his own pitches and changed his pitch mix.  He did not finish the season as strong, surrendering at least four earned runs in three of his starts in September. Cameron has proven that he can be a key piece in the Royals rotation, but he needs to prove that he can maintain that consistency over a full season.

Seth Lugo: C+

Lugo threw 172 1/3 innings, and his 5.17 ERA was the highest among all qualified pitchers in the majors this season. His ERA has jumped up at least one run in each of the past two seasons after finishing second in AL Cy Young voting in 2024. Lugo is in danger of trending in the wrong direction, but he still provides value by eating innings for the thin rotation.

Randy Dobnak: B

After triggering his upward mobility clause with the Seattle Mariners, Dobnak was traded to the Royals on June 17 for cash considerations. He started hot with the Royals, not allowing more than two runs in each of his first six appearances with the club, and his ERA stayed at 2.00 or below through his first 10 appearances. The wheels fell off in September, when he posted a 7.15 ERA across his five starts to close out the season. Dobnak also struggled to go deep into games, averaging just under five innings pitched per appearance. Had Dobnak not fallen off at the end of the season, the grade here would have been higher, but his ability to come in midseason and make starts for a rotation that lost multiple arms to season-ending injuries was extremely valuable.

Luinder Avila: C-

Avila had a rocky first start of the season that temporarily moved him back to bullpen duties. He saw a return to the rotation in June after multiple pitchers landed on the IL. He finished the season with a 5.53 ERA across 70 innings pitched. When you look at his splits, he had a 6.27 ERA in 51 2/3 innings as a starter and a 3.44 ERA in 18 1/3 innings as a reliever. His season ended early after undergoing Tommy John surgery in early August.

Stephen Kolek: C

Kolek started the season in Omaha after a successful short stint with the Royals in 2025. He returned to the major-league rotation in May to fill in for injured starters. He finished with a 4.50 ERA across 54 innings in 10 starts and unfortunately also ended his season with Tommy John surgery. Kolek showed his upside with a few different shutout performances, including a complete game shutout against the Mariners on May 23, but also showed the opposite with multiple outings allowing at least four runs.

Kris Bubic: B-

Bubic has had a career filled with injury woes, and 2026 was no exception. Bubic had a 4.11 ERA across 50 1/3 innings in nine starts with the Royals. However, unlike other Royals starters, his injury was not season-ending. Bubic was traded to the Dodgers before the trade deadline in exchange for pitching prospect Carlos Durán. Bubic gets bonus points for providing the Royals with trade value before reaching free agency, allowing the team to turn his limited season into a pitching prospect rather than losing him for nothing.

Cole Ragans: D

Ragans has not been able to stay healthy after his 2024 season, when he finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting. In 2026, he managed to make eight starts with a 4.84 ERA across 35 1/3 innings. In early July, Ragans underwent surgery to repair his left UCL and faces another lengthy recovery. 

Bailey Falter: F

Falter made two starts among his five appearances with the Royals in 2026. In his 9 2/3 innings, he had an ERA of 13.97. Falter was designated for assignment on May 27 and was packaged with Lane Thomas in a trade to the Braves. Before his DFA, Falter voiced his frustration with his lack of a defined role in the pitching staff and being asked to start on short notice. That, however, will not impact his grade since his performance on the mound speaks for itself.

What do you think about my grades? Who would you grade differently? Share your thoughts in the comments, and make sure to catch the other Royals' grades.

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