The Royals have placed right-hander Chris Stratton on the 15-day injured list due to a strain in his right forearm flexor. In response, left-hander Angel Zerpa has been promoted from Triple-A Omaha.
With just 16 days left in the regular season and given the typically severe nature of forearm and flexor injuries, it appears that Stratton’s 2024 season may be over. If the strain turns out to be minor, there’s a possibility he could return if the Royals make a deep playoff run. However, a more pressing concern is whether Stratton might require surgery that could impact part or all of his 2025 season.
Stratton has struggled recently, giving up five runs in his last two appearances over two innings. Even if his injury contributed to these poor performances, he has had difficulties throughout his first season with the Royals. Stratton’s 5.55 ERA in 58 1/3 innings, along with a 17.1% strikeout rate and a 12.8% walk rate, are both well below league averages. His strikeout and walk rates are career lows for a full MLB season, and his ERA is only slightly better than the 5.57 ERA he posted with the Angels and Pirates in 2019.
After a challenging 2019 season, Stratton rebounded with strong performances as a full-time reliever over the next four years, achieving a 3.91 ERA in 255 1/3 innings with the Pirates, Cardinals, and Rangers. He posted a career-best 3.92 ERA and a 7.4% walk rate last year with St. Louis and Texas, and contributed four innings in the playoffs, helping the Rangers win the World Series.
This solid performance earned him a two-year, $8 million contract with the Royals last winter. The deal is effectively a one-year contract with a player option for 2025, allowing Stratton to choose between a $500,000 buyout or a $4.5 million salary for the final year. Given his disappointing performance and current injury, it seems likely he will decline his opt-out clause.
While Stratton’s results were lacking, his absence leaves the Royals without a reliable bullpen arm. Zerpa, with a 4.40 ERA over 47 innings, may offer some relief, but Stratton joins fellow injured relievers Will Smith (back spasms) and Hunter Harvey (mid-back tightness). According to MLB.com’s Anne Rogers, Harvey has begun throwing, but it remains uncertain when or if he will return to action.
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