Luke Hochevar announces retirement. Here are 8 unique stats from his Royals career

Luke Hochevar’s career is over.

On Monday, Hochevar told MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan that he wasn’t able to throw without pain after having thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in August 2016.

“There was just no way,” Hochevar told MLB.com. “That was it. I got up to the 80 percent (recovery) which you’re supposed to and it just wasn’t working. It was hurting just to throw. No way I could have ever gotten back to this level to get guys out. Just too much pain. ...

“I’m very happy with where I am. Very content. I’m thankful for all I had in this game. The game was very good to me. I had a long run. I’m happy with that. Now I get to do things anytime I want. I get to farm. I get to have my ministry hunts. It’s all good.”

Hochevar, the first overall pick by the Royals in the 2006 draft, had mixed results as a starter, but thrived when moved to the bullpen.

Here are eight statistics that show how unique Hochevar’s career was with the Royals:

1. Hochevar started 128 games and made 151 relief appearances. He’s one of three players in Royals history to make 100 or more starts and have 100 or more relief appearances. The others: Tom Gordon (144 starts, 130 relief appearances) and Al Fitzmorris (136 starts, 107 relief appearances).

2. Hochevar threw an 80-pitch complete game in a 4-1 win over the Reds on June 12, 2009. According to a Baseball Reference search, only 20 other pitchers had done that since 1948.

3. Hochevar’s Win Probability Added (WPA) for Game 5 of the 2015 World Series was .254, the highest of any Royals player. Hochevar, who threw two scoreless innings of relief in extra innings, was the winning pitcher in the clinching game of the series.

4. In the 2015 postseason, Hochevar didn’t allow a run in 10 2/3 innings, and just 7 of the 38 batters he faced reached base.

5. Only seven pitchers in Royals history have thrown 900 or more innings and been called for a balk three or fewer times. Hochevar was one of them.

6. In 2013, Hochevar moved to the bullpen and had the lowest WHIP (0.825) among Royals relievers that season, edging Greg Holland (0.866). Hochevar had a 1.92 ERA in 70 1/3 innings covering 58 appearances. In spring training the following year, Hochevar suffered a torn UCL in his elbow and had Tommy John surgery. He missed the season, including the run to the 2014 World Series.

7. Since the start of the 2000 season, only four Royals pitchers have had more complete games than Hochevar’s five: Zack Greinke (12), Paul Byrd (8), Darryl May (7) and Jeff Suppan (7).

8. In a 2-0 Royals win at Houston on June 19, 2012, Hochevar threw 7 2/3 scoreless innings and had a single off Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez. It was the lone hit of his career (1 for 16).

This story was originally published August 14, 2018 at 9:31 AM.