The Royals’ starting rotation was one of the best in baseball in 2024 and with Brady Singer being the only departure from the team, they hope to have similar success in 2025. Ragans, Lugo and Wacha are the headliners of the Royals rotation, and the team hopes those three can put up consistent performances throughout the season. The last two spots will be up for grabs, with the expectation that Lorenzen, Bubic, Marsh and Cameron will compete to crack the Royals starting 5 in 2025. Spring training will be an interesting early look at the Royals rotation, and we can get a sense of the guys who could try to carry the success from 2024 into this season.

Where does the starting rotation currently stand?

As of now, I think the Royals have 3 locks in the rotation with Ragans, Lugo and Wacha. Ragans and Lugo were Cy Young candidates and Wacha took a massive step up at the end of the season and earned himself a huge extension this offseason. The next two spots get a little tricky with 4 guys in the mix for the final two spots with the favorites being Kris Bubic and Michael Lorenzen.

Lorenzen signed as a free agent and will be on the Royals major league team regardless of spring training, the question is if he will be a starter, to which I would say yes. Lorenzen looked good for the Royals after the team traded for him in 2024 which is why they were willing to bring him back in 2025. Lorenzen signed a 1-year deal worth 7 million, so it is possible that other guys outperform him, and he is moved into a bullpen role, but for now, I think you can pencil him in as the 4th starter.

The final 3 guys are all young guys fighting for a roster spot. Kris Bubic is the favorite for that fifth spot after he returned from Tommy John surgery at the end of 2024 and looked great pitching from the bullpen. He has added some new pitches into his arsenal that he will use if he is a starter including a sinker and a cutter as well as likely bringing back his great curveball, we saw him use in previous seasons. After how good Bubic looked for the Royals out of the pen last year, the fifth spot feels like it is his to lose.

On the outside looking in are Alec Marsh and Noah Cameron. Marsh won the fifth spot in spring training last year and held on to it until the Royals traded for Michael Lorenzen at the trade deadline. He has an option remaining and could be sent to the minors as a depth option if someone gets injured, or he could be used in the bullpen. Noah Cameron is one of the Royals top minor league prospects who will be invited to spring training to work with the big-league guys. Camerons chances of making the opening day rotation are slim, but with a good spring, he could keep himself in the conversation if someone gets hurt or is struggling mid-season.

Does Alec Marsh have the most to gain of any Royals starter in spring training?

Alec Marsh was on the outside looking as he came into spring training looking to fight for a spot in the Royals rotation last offseason. Marsh impressed and earned the fifth spot in the Royals rotation for the 2024 season where he showed improvement and showed flashes of being a high-quality MLB starter. At the trade deadline, the Royals felt they needed more depth in their rotation, and they added Michael Lorenzen. This pushed Marsh out of the rotation for the last few months of the season

As we head into 2025, Marsh finds himself in a similar position, as he is on the outside looking in again and will be fighting for his spot on the roster. Marsh has another minor league option remaining, and so it feels likely that the team will option him to start the season and will use him as a spot starter in case of injury. But this is a similar narrative to what we heard last offseason, as he was competing with Jordan Lyles and Daniel Lynch, and won the job despite people’s expectations.

If Marsh has another good spring training this offseason, it is possible he can strong arm his way onto the roster as a starter or out of the bullpen. If he outperforms other guys, it is possible he gets a starting job and Bubic or Lorenzen are moved to the bullpen in order for him to get a spot. Nonetheless, Marsh may have the most to gain from spring training, as he will have to earn his spot on the roster in 2025.

My prediction for the Royals starting pitchers in 2025

I don’t have any major “bold predictions” for who could make the Royals roster in 2025. Ragans, Lugo and Wacha are all locks to make the roster, with Ragans as the ACE again this season. I predict Lorenzen will get the 4th spot in the Rotation after the Royals elected to bring him back on a 7-million-dollar contract and he has significant major league experience. Lorenzen would give the Royals 4 experienced pitchers to lead the rotation and will give them options for a playoff rotation if/when they make it to the postseason in 2025.

The fifth spot is the only one that feels questionable as it is likely between Kris Bubic and Alec Marsh. The Royals said this offseason that they see Bubic as a starting pitcher after he had so much success out of the bullpen in 2024. With the addition of new pitches, and him building durability this offseason, I think he will win the fifth starting spot in the rotation for the 2025 season.

While that last spot feels like it’s Kris Bubic’s job to lose, there is no guarantee he will win that role with Alec Marsh in the conversation. There is an argument to be had that Bubic saw success in the pen and Marsh was a solid starter, therefore don’t try to fix what isn’t broken. The Royals also could use another left-handed reliever, but it feels like Bubic skillset is best suited to be a starter and Marsh is better suited to be a reliever and may be moved to the bullpen.

My final prediction is Ragans, Lugo, Wacha, Lorenzen, Bubic in order to be the Royals starting rotation in 2025 with Marsh and Cameron as depth in Omaha. If Cameron impresses the team, Marsh could be moved into a bullpen role, with Cameron being the 6th pitcher in case of injury, but with Marsh having an option remaining, I expect the team will use it to provide proven solid depth to their rotation. This starting unit is one of the best in baseball and I expect another impressive season from the starters in Kansas City in 2025.