Royals Designate Matt Strahm, Andrew Velazquez For Assignment

The Royals announced that infielder Bobby Witt Jr. has been reinstated from the injured list and right-hander José Cuas has been recalled from Triple-A Omaha. In corresponding moves, left-hander Matt Strahm and infielder Andrew Velazquez have been designated for assignment.

Strahm, 34, came to Kansas City in what’s now a clearly regrettable offseason trade. The Royals sent right-hander Jonathan Bowlan to Philadelphia in exchange for the final year of Strahm’s contract, in which he’s being paid $7.5MM. Kansas City was banking on Strahm’s solid track record and a rebound from last year’s velocity dip, hoping that he could stabilize the late-inning relief corps. Instead, it’s the controllable Bowlan (arb-eligible through 2031) who’s pitched like a quality late-inning reliever while Strahm has struggled to the point of being designated for assignment.

In 41 appearances this season, Strahm has pitched 35 2/3 innings. He’s been rocked for a 7.32 ERA with just an 18.6% strikeout rate (career-low in a full season) and an 8.7% walk rate. This year’s 91.2 mph average fastball is down from last year’s 92.2 mph, which was already a career-low mark. Strahm has seen his opponent’s contact rate improve in four straight seasons now, while his swinging-strike rate has fallen for the third year in a row — this time dropping below league-average (to 10%) for the first time in a full season. The lost life on his heater and diminished ability to miss bats has left Strahm far too vulnerable over the plate; he’s yielded an average of 3.03 homers per nine innings pitched.

Strahm actually pitched decently into mid-May, but he’s run into the toughest patch of his career since. He’s allowed 24 runs over his past 22 innings, yielding 10 round-trippers along the way (4.09 HR/9). The Royals, squarely out of the postseason mix and no longer able to hold out hope of trading Strahm elsewhere before he becomes a free agent at season’s end, will cut him loose and turn those bullpen innings over to other relievers who could at least be around beyond the current season.

Velazquez, 32, was always likely to have a short stint on the roster. The Royals selected him to the majors when Witt hit the 10-day IL with a minor injury. He went 1-for-15 with a single and a stolen base. That marked his first MLB action since 2023. Velazquez is a career .186/.240/.287 hitter in 639 plate appearances across parts of seven minor league seasons.

With the trade deadline in the past, the only course of action for the Royals with either player will be outright or release waivers. There’s no way someone will pick up the remaining $2.246MM on Strahm’s deal. He’ll clear and become a free agent, at which point he can sign with any team. Velazquez is likely to clear outright waivers but could accept an assignment back to Triple-A Omaha for the final two months of the season rather than hit the market and look for new minor league opportunities elsewhere.