Royals' Matt Strahm: Working through mental blockage
According to Royals manager Ned Yost, Strahm's performance issues were more mental than physical, and the skipper expects the lefty to return to the big-league club in due time, MLB.com's Jeffrey Flanagan reports.
Strahm, the club's No. 1 prospect, was sensational as a rookie in 2016, posting a 1.23 ERA in 21 games. But in three outings this season, the 25-year-old gave up seven earned runs in 1.1 innings while allowing four hits and issuing six walks. "We just want to let [Strahm] get down there [to Triple-A Omaha] in a less-pressured environment, and get him back to who he is," Yost said. "We built this bullpen with him right in the middle of it. We need him to be him. Send him down, get it straightened out, get him back up." The manager also mentioned that he doesn't believe Strahm is that far away from returning.