Cole Ragans shares first All-Star experience with next class of standout AL pitchers

Kansas City Royals starter Cole Ragans is quite familiar with Globe Life Field. In fact, he still remembered how to navigate his way to the home clubhouse on Tuesday afternoon.

The steps were ingrained in his memory. Ragans made a couple of turns and walked down the hallway into the vast clubhouse.

Once he arrived, his name was plastered on the locker right next to his Royals teammates: Seth Lugo, Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez. The quartet represented the organization in the 94th Midsummer Classic, a 5-3 win for the American League.

It was the first time for Ragans, Witt and Lugo … much to their excitement.

“I had a couple shots of Nespresso (coffee) when I got to the field,” Ragans said before the game. “It’s a little different than a normal game day, as we had a lot going on with red carpet and all that kind of stuff. So when I got here, you know, ate some food. (I’m) trying not to get too nervous. Got to enjoy this moment.”

After pitching one inning in the All-Star Game, Ragans acknowledged having some nerves, but he noted he settled in when he stepped on the field with two of his Royals teammates.

Ragans has blossomed since he arrived in a midseason trade last season. The Royals acquired him for veteran reliever Aroldis Chapman last June. Ragans has posted a 2.96 ERA in 32 career starts with the Royals.

This season, Ragans stepped into a front-line role in the starting rotation. He owns a 6-6 record with 3.16 ERA and 141 strikeouts in 20 starts.

He trails fellow Chicago White Sox star Garrett Crochet (150 strikeouts) and is just ahead of Detroit Tigers hurler Tarik Skubal (141) on the American League strikeout list.

And the three southpaw pitchers have built a special bond.

“It’s cool because he and I actually played catch together yesterday,” Crochet said. “We’re chatting up a little bit in the outfield during BP (batting practice) and stuff. Really cool guy and I look forward to picking his brain a little bit more today.”

Crochet admitted he wasn’t ready for Ragans’ knuckle curve. It was a pitch that he has seen before from the opposite dugout. The knuckle curve has generated a 35.4% whiff rate per Baseball Savant.

“It’s really cool sharing the clubhouse with these guys,” Crochet said. “He and Skubal, all of us in the AL Central, it’s really cool.”

The southpaw trio have spearheaded the next wave of great pitchers. Ragans is developing rapidly during his time with the Royals. He has overcome two Tommy John surgeries and is throwing mid-90s with his fastball. He added a slider to pair with his cutter and changeup.

“Cole has come over from Texas to Kansas City and he’s taken off ever since,” Skubal said.

Skubal also watches a lot of film on both Crochet and Ragans. It has helped him become a standout pitcher in the league.

“I watch them pitch a lot,” Skubal said. “They both face the (Tigers) and I watch how they do it. I look at their execution and their sequencing, swing-and-miss and where they are trying to get stuff. I’m pretty dialed in on what they are doing.”

While the Royals compete in a tight AL Central, Ragans cherishes these moments among his closest peers. The All-Star Game represents an opportunity to reflect and highlight his success on and off the field.

“You see those guys and you get to see them pitch pretty regularly,” Ragans said. “You play them more than anyone else. It’s cool to get to know them as a person.”

And it culminated in a special moment at Globe Life Field — a familiar venue — on a big stage with bright lights.

“I was here for a little bit and kind of know my way around,” Ragans said. “This place is the newest stadium in baseball and it’s pretty unreal.”