KC Royals: Ten Things That Have Gone Right In 2016

6. Matt Strahm Becomes Bullpen Monster

Twenty-four year old Matt Strahm jumped from AA NW Arkansas to the KC Royals on July 31. Thought to have mid-rotation upside over the long term, the left-handed Strahm has dominated out of the bullpen in Kansas City.

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With the well-documented struggles from the the back-end of the KC pen this season, Strahm has been a godsend in August.

Initially considered a lefty specialist, Strahm has become a main cog at the back end of the KC Royals pen with Wade Davis going to the disabled list.

Strahm has compiled an outstanding 1.04 ERA in 8.1 innings pitched in three weeks with the Kansas City Royals. He’s earned the trust of manager Ned Yost by getting out of numerous sticky situations. His fastball sits in the mid-90’s and can touch 99 mph as a reliever. Strahm pairs that fastball with a tight curve. To become a starter, he needs to improve his change-up.

The Three-Headed Bullpen Monster Returns

For now, he’s helped restore the KC Royals back-end bullpen dominance. Along with Joakim Soria’s recent rebound (7.0 consecutive scoreless innings) and Kelvin Herrera’s typical dominance, the three-headed bullpen monster is back in August.

The Kansas City Royals bullpen is riding an outstanding 26.2 consecutive scoreless inning streak. For the month, the bullpen has posted a 1.70 ERA to lead MLB.

Strahm would rank much higher on this list if he had pitched more than 8.1 innings. If he continues his recent success, Strahm will be an important bullpen cog down the stretch this season.

Next: No. 5