The Royals announced Friday that Ragans (shoulder) remains on track with his throwing progression and has increased his throwing distance off flat ground to 120 feet, MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Though Ragans seems to be making incremental progress in his recovery from a left rotator cuff strain, he still has yet to resume throwing bullpen sessions since landing on the injured list June 11. Assuming Kansas City is still planning on having Ragans get stretched back out as a starter during his rehab program, he's unlikely to be ready to slot back into the big-league rotation until late August in a best-case scenario.

Ragans (shoulder) has been playing catch out to 105 feet and is expected to extend his throwing distance during the upcoming week, MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

If Ragans is able to stretch out his distance to around 120 feet and avoids any setbacks with his shoulder, he could be cleared to start throwing off a mound at some point next week. On the mend from a left rotator cuff strain that landed him on the injured list June 11, Ragans is progressing but still has several checkpoints to hit in the recovery process before he returns to the Kansas City rotation. At this point, the southpaw appears unlikely to be activated until the second half of August at the soonest.

The Royals transferred Ragans (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

Ragans had been scheduled to resume a throwing program Monday, but it's going to take him a while to get built back up after he was shut down for nearly a month with a left rotator cuff strain. He is now not eligible to return until early August.

Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that Ragans (shoulder) is likely to resume throwing Monday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

On the shelf since June 11 due to a left rotator cuff strain, Ragans has been barred from throwing for nearly a month while he's waited for the discomfort in his shoulder to subside. After a recent follow-up MRI on his shoulder revealed encouraging results, Ragans looks ready to begin the rehab process in earnest. Ragans still has several checkpoints to reach in his throwing program before he heads out on a rehab assignment, but if he can avoid any setbacks while ramping up, he could return from the 15-day injured list at some point in August.

A second opinion Tuesday confirmed that Ragans has a rotator cuff strain in his left shoulder, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

It's been nearly two weeks since Ragans has thrown a ball, and now that his diagnosis has been confirmed, the Royals will keep him shut down for another two weeks before re-evaluating him. A clearer timeline for his return may emerge once he's ready to begin a throwing program, but it seems unlikely that he'll be able to rejoin the rotation before the All-Star break. As long as Ragans is out, Noah Cameron's job as the fifth starter should be secure.

Ragans will get a second opinion on his shoulder injury next week, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ragans underwent initial imaging on his left shoulder that confirmed a strain. The Royals believe that he will avoid surgery for the time being, though manager Matt Quatraro admitted that nothing will be conclusive until further testing occurs. There is no timeline for Ragans' return, but he will almost certainly be sidelined for longer than the minimum 15 days.

The Royals placed Ragans on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a left rotator cuff strain.

EDGE Analysis

Ragans last pitched Thursday, getting knocked around for five runs over three innings in St. Louis in his first start back from a groin injury. It's not clear whether he suffered the rotator cuff injury during that outing or sometime since then, but either way, it's an injury that will likely sideline him longer than the minimum 15 days. Ragans' move to the IL should extend rookie Noah Cameron's stay in the rotation.

Ragans (groin) allowed five runs on five hits and three walks while striking out four over three innings in a no-decision in Game 2 of Thursday's doubleheader versus the Royals.

EDGE Analysis

Ragans squandered a four-run lead in the third inning, and that was enough to end his first start back after missing nearly three weeks with the groin injury. He wasn't very sharp, throwing just 47 of 78 pitches for strikes in his return. The southpaw has gone no more than five innings in any of his last six outings, and he's given up at least four runs in five of them. He's at a 5.18 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 76:16 K:BB through 48.2 innings over 10 starts this season. Ragans is tentatively projected to make his next start at home in a tough matchup against the Yankees.

The Royals reinstated Ragans (groin) from the injured list Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

Ragans is set to take the mound Thursday in St. Louis for the second part of a doubleheader. This will be the southpaw's first start since May 16 when he injured his groin. In a corresponding move, the Royals designated Thomas Hatch for assignment.

Ragans (groin) is scheduled to be reinstated from the 15-day injured list to start Tuesday against the Cardinals, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ragans allowed four earned runs over 3.2 innings during his rehab start with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Saturday, and he apparently showed enough for Kansas City to put him on a big-league mound for his next outing. The 27-year-old will end up missing little more than the 15-day minimum due to groin soreness, though he could still face some minor workload limitations in his first start back in the big leagues.