‘A resilient kind of pitcher’: A healthy Brad Peacock joins Kansas City Royals’ camp
Brad Peacock had an inkling, in the moment, that continuing to pitch might cause himself long-term pain in the pursuit of short-term glory, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t do it again.
A shoulder injury first popped up in 2019 while Peacock helped the Houston Astros make a run to the World Series, where they lost in seven games to the Nationals. By pitching through the pain, Peacock probably paved a longer road to recovery. But he had a chance at a championship ring.
“I should have had surgery a little earlier to tell you the truth,” Peacock said recently. “I tried to pitch through it. I think that was the worst thing for me. … I definitely grinded through it for the boys. I’d grind through anything. If I can still keep my velocity and I’m hurting a little bit, it’s whatever. But I was hurting pretty bad.”
Peacock, who signed a minor-league contract with the Kansas City Royals earlier this month, chuckled when he said he was hurting pretty bad. Then he added, “I’ll grind through anything to pitch in a World Series again. ”
Peacock, 34, has spent parts of 10 seasons in the majors. The veteran right-hander pitched last season with underwhelming results. He was still feeling his way through his recovery from surgery to remedy a condition called Bennett lesion.
He now feels fully “back,” but last season was a different type of grind for the Florida native.
In the initial stages of his return from surgery, Peacock would throw one day and not be able to even play catch the next day. He threw for teams before spring training last year, but he hadn’t progressed enough to pitch from the start of the season.
“I’ve had three surgeries, back, hip and shoulder,” Peacock said. “This one was the worst. Shoulder was the worst. It wasn’t even that major of a surgery. It just ached all the time, but I got a good program down in Florida with my guy Ed Smith and then I went over to [Cressey Sports Performance center] and he got me back to normal over there. I’m just thankful for that. I feel great now.”
He signed with Cleveland in late June after he took a couple more months to rehab. He wasn’t totally recovered, but he didn’t feel that he could take the entire season off either.
With Cleveland, he worked as a starting pitcher at Triple-A. The Boston Red Sox purchased Peacock’s contract in August and he appeared in just two major-league games and allowed nine earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.
“I wasn’t ready for it, to tell you the truth, but I’m just glad I got an opportunity there and was able to pitch there,” Peacock said.
Peacock has a 34-31 record with a 4.11 ERA, 1.305 WHIP, a 9.5 strikeouts per 9 innings and 2.45-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 183 games (84 starts).
His best season as a starter came in 2017 when he went 13-2 in 21 starts (34 games) with a 3.00 ERA, 161 strikeouts and 57 walks in 132 innings. He posted a 1.19 WHIP and 11 strikeouts per 9 that season.
“I just told them that whatever they need me to do, I’m willing to do,” Peacock said of signing with the Royals. “If they need me in the bullpen, long man, whatever, I’ll start.
“My arm feels back to normal. Last year was kind of rough coming back from surgery, but I feel back to normal now. I feel good to go for whatever they need me to do.”
The Royals covet versatility. It’s part of what made veteran right-hander Ervin Santana so valuable last season. He could make spot starts, pitch in long relief or pitch in shorter relief outings.
Peacock has pitched in similar roles before.
“He got used pretty heavy,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said of Peacock. “I watched him a lot in Houston and I watched how he was just a resilient kind of pitcher — the kind I have a lot of respect for, to keep taking the ball and having success. Could be one of those unsung heroes with different roles in the pen.”
