Ragans (leg cramp) not concerned after Game 1 early exit

CLEVELAND -- After struggling with command for the entirety of his outing Monday afternoon, Royals starter Cole Ragans exited his start against the Guardians with a left calf/hamstring cramp, but it doesn’t seem like it’ll be a lingering issue for the lefty.

Facing Guardians center fielder Lane Thomas to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning of Kansas City's 4-3 win in Game 1 of Monday’s doubleheader at Progressive Field, Ragans threw four consecutive balls to issue his fourth walk of the day. On the third pitch of that plate appearance, Ragans threw a cutter that sailed high to the backstop and he felt his leg start to cramp.

The fourth pitch was a changeup below the zone, and as Salvador Perez caught the ball, Ragans motioned slightly to the dugout.

Perez popped up and immediately called out head athletic trainer Kyle Turner, and Ragans left the game with Turner a few moments later.

“Felt little things throughout the game, but just felt something a little more in the fifth,” Ragans said. “No reason to push it. I’m already struggling to throw strikes.”

Ragans battled his command and an inconsistent strike zone throughout Game 1 of Monday’s split doubleheader, needing 56 pitches to get through two innings and 73 through three. The Guardians scored both of their runs off Ragans (only one earned) in the second inning when he loaded the bases with a walk, a hit batter and a single before walking Steven Kwan to bring home a run. A passed ball led to the second run.

Ragans said he felt off from the start of Monday’s game, battling his mechanics and trying to stay in his delivery. When he’s hitting his leg as he walks back up the mound between pitches, that means he’s trying to remind himself to stay in his legs during his delivery.

That mental cue didn’t help much Monday when Ragans was battling all his pitches except his slider. The breaking ball was the one pitch he was able to land in the zone and get weak contact off it.

“When I stay in my legs, I usually have a little better command,” Ragans said. “But today, the mechanics weren’t there. … Pretty erratic. Did not command the fastball, didn’t get ahead.

“Didn’t throw strikes, that’s the end of the story.”

Ragans got back on track with a clean third inning and preserved the Royals’ one-run lead in the fourth inning after MJ Melendez hit a three-run homer in the top of the frame.

“After you take the lead like that, 3-2, you definitely want to -- however you have to do it -- get a shutdown inning and keep the momentum on our side,” Ragans said. “Still somewhat of a long inning, but tried to work with what I had today.”

Ragans entered the fifth inning at 90 pitches, so manager Matt Quatraro already had James McArthur warming up in the bullpen.

“Day game, heat, all that kind of stuff,” Quatraro said. “Working exceptionally hard to get through those first four. He said he felt good going out for the fifth. He was going to be on a really short leash either way there.”

The Royals were able to pick Ragans up to win Game 1 over the American League Central-leading Guardians, with the bullpen allowing just one run in five innings. McArthur got Ragans out of the fifth without any further damage, and the Royals relied on Kris Bubic for 1 1/3 innings -- the first time the lefty has thrown in back-to-back games this year.

John Schreiber recorded five big outs before handing it over to Lucas Erceg, who still has not allowed a run in 11 outings with the Royals this year.

“That was not the plan,” Quatraro said of going to his bullpen early. “We didn’t have that in the book. You definitely have to consider both games, but at the same time, if you have a chance to win, you try to win this game. You have no idea what Game 2 is going to bring. The bullpen stepped up huge. To go through five innings and give up one run there against that team is a really good outing.”