Getty
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – MAY 25: Kris Bubic #50 of the Kansas City Royals delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field on May 25, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
The Kansas City Royals walked into Sunday feeling on the edge of disaster. After back-to-back walk-off losses to the Minnesota Twins, they were staring down an embarrassing three-game walk-off sweep—something that hadn’t happened since 1971.
The team’s energy was anemic, and it looked like history was about to repeat itself in the worst way.
But baseball has a way of flipping the script. Maikel Garcia delivered a clutch game-winning single in the 10th inning for the Royals, followed by strong relief from Carlos Estevez and a shut-down save from Taylor Clarke.
The real star of the evening, though, was Kansas City’s emerging ace Kris Bubic, who turned in possibly his best start of the season into a top spot on ESPN’s AL Cy Young rankings. After a shaky first inning, he locked in, retiring 12 straight batters over seven innings with just one run allowed. His ERA now sits at an astounding 1.45 —second-best in MLB behind only Max Fried.
Midseason AL Cy Young Race Is A Sign That It Will Be Close
The Royals’ ace isn’t alone. Veterans like Max Fried with the Yankees and Nathan Eovaldi of the Rangers keep pushing hard. Fried’s steady dominance and Eovaldi’s savvy pitching maintain their place near the top.
Tarik Skubal of the Tigers, last year’s runaway Cy Young winner, isn’t leading the stats but advanced metrics like FIP suggest he’s better than ever. His recent complete-game, two-hit shutout with 13 strikeouts proves he’s still a serious contender.
Garrett Crochet (Red Sox) and Hunter Brown (Astros) are making waves with strong starts. Brown’s eight quality outings in 10 games, mixing overpowering stuff with sharp command, have caught attention.
Relievers Andres Muñoz (Mariners) and starters Bryan Woo (Mariners) and Tyler Mahle (Rangers) quietly build strong resumes. Joe Ryan (Twins) rounds out the top 10 with efficient, reliable pitching.
Looking Ahead For Royals And Bubic
The second half promises fireworks in the AL Cy Young race. Will this Royals pitcher maintain his dominance and help lead his team to the playoffs? Or will veterans and rising stars reclaim their spots atop the leaderboard?
But Bubic’s climb steadies the rotation and gives this young Royals team a real shot in a competitive AL Central race.
Bubic isn’t your typical flamethrower. He’s rebuilt his approach from the ground up. No longer relying on overpowering stuff, he dominates by mixing pitches, hitting precise spots, and outsmarting hitters. He’s been a key reason for keeping the Royals above .500.
Derek Hryn Derek Hryn is a writer for Heavy.com. He has extensive experience covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball, along with providing expert fantasy football analysis for DraftKings and SB Nation. His work has been featured at Sports Illustrated, USA Today, NBC Sports, The New York Post, and others. More about Derek Hryn
