Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
As the clock ticks down on the trade deadline, the Dodgers are acquiring currently-injured left-handed starting pitcher Kris Bubic from the Royals in exchange for right-handed reliever Carlos Duran in what I assume is a depth move. While it didn’t appear to necessarily be a need, he could be used out off the pen, and the Dodgers aren’t giving up really much of anything.
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Kris Bubic is 28 and will turn 29 soon, but has already had something of an adventurous career so far. In his first three seasons he was something of a workhorse backend starter with a 4.89 ERA/4.93 FIP over 309 innings that only wasn’t more because one of those seasons was during 2020. Then after a few starts in 2023, he had to undergo Tommy John surgery and returned midway through 2024 as a reliever. He excelled in that role, posting a 2.67 ERA/1.95 FIP over 30.1 innings. Bubic then returned to starter in 2025 and had a breakout season, making the All-Star team thanks to 2.55 ERA/2.89 FIP over 116.1 innings in 20 starts. However, he missed the rest of the season with a rotator cuff strain.
That brings us to 2026, his last year before hitting free agency, where he’s made thrown 50.1 innings over nine starts, compiling a respectable 4.11 ERA/3.71 FIP. The problem? Well, he’s currently on the 60-day IL with shoulder soreness after a setback during his elbow soreness injury stint that’s had him sidelined since May 18.
“He wasn’t comfortable pushing through that or pitching today,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Shut him down. … It’s perplexing because he’s had imaging, he’s seen multiple doctors, and there isn’t anything that jumps off the page on the scans. But he’s obviously still feeling something. He’s dealt with injuries before, and his awareness of it is putting up a red flag. It’s concerning that he can’t keep going.”
That was just a month ago.
Obviously the Dodgers think he’s making progress on a return, or at least has an outside chance at it.
Or maybe not, as all they surrendered was right-handed reliever Carlos Duran, who they had previously let go of last year (which is how he made his MLB debut with the Athletics).
Why do this? Insurance for the rotation and insurance for the pen if he’s healthy, likely. He made the All-Star team last year for a reason and has previous success out of the pen, all it takes is for him to get back to actually pitching. I mean, Bubic did do this just earlier this season.
He throws a fastball 90-93 MPH, a sinker around the same range, an 82-85 MPH slider, and a 84-87 MPH change. When he’s right, the slider and change give him two out pitches and the fastball is also deceptively effective for his velocity.
It’s basically a no-risk flier that kinda reminds me of another trade for a Royal in Danny Duffy (that didn’t work). If he comes back, he likely provides another lefty pen option for the team with potential further cover for the rotation. And if not, they likely lose nothing more than a fungible reliever that they would’ve had to DFA at some point for 40-man roster space anyway.
