Matt Strahm reaches career milestone, says he owes a debt of gratitude to 2016 Royals
The Royals brass hopes to look back one day and see this year’s draft was a huge success.
That wasn’t the case in 2012 when the draft class was pretty much a bust for the Royals, whose top three picks were pitchers Kyle Zimmer, Sam Selman and Colin Rodgers.
But the Royals did find a gem in the 21st round, selecting a left-handed pitcher from Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kansas, who was born in North Dakota. Matt Strahm has proved to be far and away the best player selected that year by the Royals, who had just six players in that draft record a positive Wins Above Replacement according to Baseball Reference.
Strahm reached a personal milestone this week, surpassing 10 years of Major League Baseball service time.
“Honestly, I knew the day was coming, but I’m so focused on my day to day that, I don’t know, it’s another day to me. Obviously, I’m very thankful and grateful for the opportunity that the Royals gave me 14 years ago, and to be able to achieve this is special. A lot of people put a lot of work into it to help me get to where I am.
“I’m sure I’ll reflect on it more when I decide to hang them up. But for now, it’s still trying to compete against the best every night and keep my job and win a ring. That’s the goal.”
Strahm is 3-2 and a 5.81 ERA in his second go-round with the Royals. Four years after being drafted, Strahm made his Royals debut but was traded in the 2017 season to the Padres as part of a six-player deal.
After four seasons with San Diego, Strahm pitched in 2022 with Boston, then joined Philadelphia. After three seasons with the Phillies, Strahm was traded to the Royals in December.
Strahm, 34, has 11 holds this season in his second go-round with the Royals. Kids fantasize of one day playing in the majors, but don’t think much about a career that lasts 10-plus years. That’s something you dream about as an adult.
“That North Dakota kid had one dream of making the big leagues,” Strahm said. “I don’t think 10 years were ever in my thoughts of a career. Just more so wanted to play big-league baseball, and then getting to the big leagues, it was more so just keep my head down, work hard, and see how long I can stay here. So that’s the plan moving forward. Go until it falls off, or someone won’t give me a job.”
Why 10 years matters
The website Just Gloves wrote in 2024 that a player who gets to 10 years of service time can receive a $68,000 pension payment yearly, starting at age 45. If the person waits until age 62, it increases to $220,000 annually. That amount is up to $290,000 a year, according to Moment Private Wealth.
Strahm made his big-league debut on July 31, 2016, and joined the defending World Series champions.
Chris Young, Wade Davis, Kelvin Herrera, Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Alex Gordon, Mike Moustakas and Jarrod Dyson all welcomed Strahm with open arms. Ditto for pitchers Peter Moylan and Joakim Soria.
Strahm said they all made his transition to the big leagues easier and he learned a lot from them that season. Getting into a daily routine is important to Strahm, and he saw it from that bunch of veterans.
“I had a great clubhouse here in Kansas City when I debuted,” Strahm said. “I think it was like 80% of the roster returned after the World Series in ‘15. That’s who I had in ‘16. CY, Peter Moylan, Soria were big impacts for me down in the bullpen, along with Wade Davis and Herrera, but also just watching guys like Hoz, Dyson, Cain, Moose, Gordo just go about their day to day. It taught me early that if you do the work, the stuff on the field will take care of itself.
“We’re all talented enough to get outs in the big leagues or get hits in the big leagues. It comes down to those who work, in my opinion, and so I’m very fortunate for that 2016 group, and I mean I owe a lot of credit to them.”
