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The Dodgers have acquired left-hander Kris Bubic from the Kansas City Royals, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. The return piece heading to Kansas City is minor league pitcher Carlos Duran, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The deal was finalized ahead of Monday’s trade deadline and adds another arm to a pitching staff that’s already been significantly bolstered this week.

Bubic, 28, was once a promising part of the Royals’ rotation after being drafted in the third round of the 2018 draft out of Purdue. He posted a solid 4.43 ERA across 14 starts during his rookie season in 2020’s shortened campaign and followed that with 28 starts in 2021, though his numbers ballooned to a 4.90 ERA. Tommy John surgery wiped out most of his 2022 and 2023 seasons, and the left-hander has spent the time since working his way back. He’s been pitching out of the Royals’ minor league system this year, and the Dodgers clearly see an opportunity to develop a reclamation arm with a solid pitch mix. His curveball was once considered one of the better breaking balls in the Royals’ system, and if the Dodgers’ pitching development infrastructure can get him right, there’s real upside here for a minimal cost.

Duran, the prospect heading to Kansas City, is a young right-handed pitcher who has been working through the Dodgers’ lower minor league levels. He’s a projectable arm with some rawness to his game — the kind of lottery ticket a rebuilding or prospect-hungry organization like the Royals would take a shot on. For the Dodgers, parting with Duran is a low-cost move that won’t leave a dent in the system, especially after the heavier prospect capital they spent to land Tarik Skubal from Detroit earlier this week.

This deal came as something of a surprise. The Dodgers have been laser-focused on the top of the market — Skubal being the headliner — but this is the kind of under-the-radar depth move Andrew Friedman’s front office has always valued. Bubic isn’t going to slot into the rotation and make headlines, but a left-hander with starter experience and a history of solid stuff is exactly the type of low-risk, high-reward addition that can matter in September and October.

Paired with the Ben Rortvedt acquisition from the Mets and the Scott Bubic — excuse me, just Bubic — add from Kansas City, it’s clear the Dodgers aren’t done tinkering around the margins even after making a blockbuster. I like these kinds of moves. You don’t win in October with just your top five guys. You win with depth, and this is what building depth looks like. The pitching development staff in our organization has a strong track record of unlocking guys in exactly this situation, and Bubic fits that profile well. Low cost, real ceiling if things click.

Source(s): Jeff Passan (ESPN) | Mark Feinsand (MLB.com) | Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: August 3, 2026 6:53 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers