Bobby Witt Jr. drops 1-word verdict on Cole Ragans after Royals ace's double-digit strikeout games in 2 straight starts

Modified Apr 09, 2025 04:02 GMT

Bobby Witt Jr. drops 1-word verdict on Cole Ragans after the Royals ace — Bobby Witt Jr. drops 1-word verdict on Cole Ragans after Royals ace's double-digit strikeout games in 2 straight starts

Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. was left impressed with fellow teammate and starting pitcher Cole Ragans after another impressive outing on Tuesday. Ragans, who had 10 strikeouts in five innings in his previous start against the Milwaukee Brewers, struck out 11 in his latest start against the Minnesota Twins.

Ragans was spectacular against the Twins hitters in a close 2-1 win, as he only allowed four hits, one earned run and zero walks. His back-to-back impressive performances improved his ERA from 5.40 to 2.81.

Thanks to Ragans' six strong innings, the Royals took home the win. After the game, Bobby Witt Jr., who scored both of the Royals' runs in the game, reshared the graphic celebrating Ragans:

"Him," Witt wrote.

Bobby Witt Jr.'s incredible baserunning and Cole Ragans 10 Ks+ start helps Royals draw win vs Twins

One needs luck when there's good pitching on both halves of the inning. On a day when the offense struggled, the Twins' sloppiness on the field paved the way for the Royals' sixth win of the season.

The first run of the game came from the Royals as catcher Salvador Perez drove in Bobby Witt Jr. on a groundout, giving his team a 1-0 lead. The Twins tied the game in the next inning, thanks to Harrison Bader's RBI single in the fifth.

The Twins and Pablo Lopez got themselves in a bit of a mess in the fifth inning, when the Royals had a bases-loaded situation with Vinnie Pasquantino walking in. However, the Royals star couldn't maximize the situation as an opportunity went begging.

Cole Ragans finished his start after six strong innings, as he left the game with 1-1. Witt's incredible speed was game-changing for the Royals. With things tied, the Royals shortstop hits the ball back to reliever Griffin Jax, who couldn't make a clean play and overthrew the ball. Witt not only reached first base safely but also hustled to reach third base.

All Pasquantion had to do was drive home Witt with two outs left. His groundout gave enough time for Witt to reach home plate safely as the Royals took a pivotal 2-1 lead, which they sustained until the end.

According to MLB.com, Witt clocked a speed of 30.3 feet per second when he was sprinting his way home for the go-ahead run.

About the author

Krutik Jain is a journalist who has been reporting on baseball at Sportskeeda since 2022. It was in 2018 when the baseball bug bit Krutik, and already a cricket fan, he credits baseball's rules and Clayton Kershaw's pitching to have hooked him to the game.

A Kershaw and Mookie Betts fan, Krutik rates his favorite team LA Dodgers triumphing over Tampa Bay Rays in the 2020 World Series as his best baseball moment so far. His answer to the perennial "one player from the past you could meet" question is Jackie Robinson. Despite never having seen him play, Robinson's impact, legacy and trail-blazing journey have left an indelible impact on Krutik.

A rigorous fact-checker, Krutik likes reporting on the technical aspects of the game as well as off-field elements. When not watching baseball, Krutik is busy playing cricket, staying up to date with the happenings around the world and hiking.

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Edited by Bhargav