Cole Ragans’ elbow trouble: What’s really going on?

Cole Ragans, the Royals’ left-handed pitcher, still can’t throw because his elbow keeps bothering him. The team shut down his throwing session last Friday when he felt sharp pain, and no one has figured out why yet. On Tuesday, manager Matt Quatraro confirmed Ragans remains on the injured list, still dealing with the same issue that landed him there back in early May.This isn’t just a minor tweak—pitcher’s elbow is a serious problem for pitchers. It often comes from the repetitive stress of throwing at high speeds, especially breaking balls. The fact that Ragans’ symptoms aren’t improving after weeks off raises questions about whether this is a lingering issue or something new. Teams usually keep players sidelined until they’re 100% sure they won’t make it worse. So why is this taking so long? The next step is a fresh medical opinion later this week. That’s normal when injuries don’t heal as expected, but it also means the team isn’t rushing back Ragans. Even if the second doctor gives the all-clear, the Royals will likely move slowly. Pitchers are expensive assets, and no team wants to risk long-term damage by pushing someone back too soon.