Bubic's 2nd career home opener start had 39,320 more fans than his 1st

KANSAS CITY – Six years ago, Kris Bubic made his Major League debut on July 31, 2020, which also happened to be the Royals’ home opener in that pandemic-shortened season.

He pitched that game in an empty stadium in front of cardboard cutouts. “Eerie” is the way he described it.

“Today, obviously a different story,” Bubic said.

No doubt.

With cardboard cutouts a thing of the past, Bubic once again took the ball for the Royals’ home opener Monday afternoon and pitched a gem in front of 39,320 Royals fans and a packed Kauffman Stadium.

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They got what they came for: A 3-1 win over the Twins with Bubic tossing six innings of one-run ball.

“Definitely gets you pumped up a little more in the first inning,” Bubic said. “... It’s exciting to get a win in front of a big crowd like that.”

Monday was a glimpse into how far Bubic has come since his rookie year. Back then he was a young starter trying to establish himself. He’s an analyzer, but he’ll tell you he probably overdid it as a 22-year-old, especially on the mound as he chased perfection in a game of failure.

Now, at 28 years old and 118 games into his Major League career, he embraces his strengths and tries not to think so much out there on the field.

Monday was not perfect for Bubic. He started without much command of his four-seam fastball. He put Twins leadoff man Austin Martin on base three times with a single and two walks. He allowed a solo homer to Matt Wallner in the second inning on a hanging sweeper.

But in the end? Bubic needed 75 pitches in six innings, allowed two hits and worked around traffic deftly.

“You map it out beforehand, you visualize it beforehand – you always want it to go perfectly,” Bubic said. “But at the end of the day, don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. … Staying composed, knowing that I have enough in my arsenal to get around certain command issues with the four-seamer.”

That is the mindset of a veteran pitcher, and the Royals have watched Bubic grow into one right before their eyes. It’s why they put him back in the rotation in 2025 after Tommy John surgery in ‘23 and his impact as a reliever in ‘24. It’s why they continued to believe in him this year after an All-Star first half last season but a left shoulder injury that sidelined him in August and September.

“This is what Kris is built for,” general manager J.J. Picollo said. “He’s so mature. He prepares well. I really think [Seth] Lugo and [Michael] Wacha have helped him develop as a starter. He’s in a position to have a great season.”

Even more so if he delivers like he did Monday. Bubic found the command he was lacking early as the game went on, and he attacked the Twins with a good dose of sinkers and offspeed pitches. The 21% sinker usage is a little unusual for him against a righty-heavy lineup, but Bubic was hoping it threw the Twins off and got him the ground balls he needed on a hot and windy day at The K – the first day the Royals got a look at how the new outfield dimensions might play.

“It’s a little wrinkle in there because I’m sure in the book, it’s like, probably [don’t] expect that to a bunch of righties,” Bubic said. “Any time a pitcher has two or three heaters, you ask any hitter, that’s a tough thing to face because all those pitches look the same until they’re not.”

After Bubic allowed the homer to Wallner, the Royals immediately responded by way of a two-run homer from Kyle Isbel to give them the lead. All the offensive production came from the bottom of the Royals’ lineup with Isbel, the No. 9 hitter, and No. 8 hitter Isaac Collins hitting his first home run as a Royal in the seventh inning.

Once Bubic exited, the bullpen stepped up, with both Daniel Lynch IV and Nick Mears tossing a scoreless inning in their season debuts. Down one reliever with Carlos Estévez nursing a left foot contusion and manager Matt Quatraro wanting to stay away from back-to-back-to-back days from Matt Strahm and Lucas Erceg, John Schreiber notched the save.

With one run in the past three games combined, the way the rotation has pitched to begin the season sets the Royals up for success, and Bubic added to that Monday.

“We know that’s how we’re built,” Quatraro said. “We know that’s how all good teams are built. Pitching leads the way, and those guys make us feel really good.”