Kris Bubic Drawing Widespread Interest

While Tarik Skubal is getting the big headlines, another former Dodgers lefty is also drawing plenty of attention. Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report that Kris Bubic is picking up interest “from contenders and non-contenders alike.” Bubic has been slowed by arm injuries the past two seasons. His 2025 campaign was cut short by a rotator cuff strain. He made it through nine starts with the Royals to open this past season before going down with elbow soreness. Bubic began a rehab assignment in June, only to be shut down again with renewed elbow issues. The Dodgers took a flyer on Bubic at the trade deadline, sending over a minor league pitcher in exchange for his services. Bubic made it back as a reliever during the final two weeks of the regular season. He put together five scoreless outings and made the club’s postseason roster. Bubic allowed runs in both of his playoff appearances, taking a loss in the NLDS and a blown save in the NLCS. The 29-year-old Bubic debuted with Kansas City in 2020. He was a high draft pick and well-regarded prospect in the organization, but spent three seasons as a mediocre starter. Bubic had his 2023 almost entirely wiped out by Tommy John surgery. He returned as a reliever in 2024 and revived his career. The lefty posted a 2.67 ERA with an elite 32.2% strikeout rate in 27 games out of the Royals’ bullpen. Bubic reverted to the rotation in 2025 and delivered 20 starts of a 2.55 ERA and nearly a strikeout per inning. The double-edged nature of Bubic’s profile brings a variety of suitors into play. A surefire playoff team could see him as a dice roll that could pay off handsomely with minimal investment. A non-playoff team could view him as a cheap route to a premier starter. As our guys put it in the Top 50 Free Agents list, “there aren’t many teams that don’t make sense as a landing spot.” Bubic just made the cut for those rankings, slotting at No. 48. We predicted a one-year, $12MM deal. Bubic’s health would make a multi-year agreement a bit of a surprise, but a competitive market could encourage a needy team to go that route. Photo courtesy of Jayne Kamin-Oncea, Imagn Images View Comments (2)