The Kansas City Royals have acquired right-handed pitcher Randy Dobnak from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for cash considerations, the club announced Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
Dobnak has been added to the Royals' 40-man roster and optioned to Triple-A Omaha.
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To clear a roster spot, Kansas City transferred left-hander Cole Ragans to the 60-day injured list after he suffered an elbow injury setback.
Pitching Depth Needed
The Royals are dealing with a severe pitching shortage.
Over the past six weeks, starters Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic, and Seth Lugo have all landed on the injured list.
Additionally, depth arms Ben Kudrna and Ryan Bergert underwent season-ending surgeries.
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Dobnak spent the 2026 season with Seattle's Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma, posting a 4.24 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, and a 39:24 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 70 innings.
The 31-year-old triggered an upward mobility clause in his minor league contract with the Mariners, requiring Seattle to either add him to their 40-man roster or offer him to the other 29 teams.
Seattle opted to trade Dobnak due to their deep major league rotation, which includes Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryan Woo, Bryce Miller, Emerson Hancock, and Luis Castillo.
This move follows Tuesday's acquisition of pitcher Connor Seabold from the Toronto Blue Jays for minor league pitcher Denis Samudio and cash considerations.
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Dobnak holds a career 4.86 ERA across 140 2/3 major league innings, including a postseason start as a rookie for the Minnesota Twins in 2019 before subsequent finger injuries.
