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He delivered a masterful performance against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday after a triumphant return to the starting lineup.
After a long road back from Tommy John surgery in 2023 and a stint as a reliever in 2024, Bubic’s first start of the season was nothing short of dominant, offering Royals fans a glimpse of the potential that could propel their pitching staff in the 2025 season.
Facing a Brewers lineup that struggled to find its rhythm, Bubic tossed six scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and two walks while striking out eight.
His final line — 6 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 K — marked the Royals’ first quality start of the season, a contrast to the inconsistent command issues plaguing the team’s top starters over the opening weekend. Bubic’s 95-pitch outing generated 15 whiffs and 18 called strikes for an impressive 35% called strike-plus-whiff (CSW) rate. His four-seam fastball was lethal, accounting for 11 of those whiffs, tying a career-high mark he’s hit three times before.
Bubic’s velocity held steady, a promising sign for a pitcher transitioning back to a starter’s workload post-surgery. His average fastball clocked in at 92.5 mph — slightly down from 93.0 mph as a reliever in 2024 — but his max velocity remained consistent with last season.
Bubic’s arm is a major boost to the Royals’ rotation and perhaps unexpected, given he had just earned the rotation spot in the offseason. There will still be question marks over his ability after surgery. Yet, he delivered here with precision, and there are promising signs of a breakout season for the California native.
For a Royals side looking to build upon its impressive 2024 playoff run, Bubic’s resurgence could be exactly what they needed.
