KC Royals: Luke Hochevar Bounced Back in 2015

Luke Hochevar went from being a failed starter in the rotation to being the winning pitcher in the deciding game of the World Series. He’s come a long way for the KC Royals, that’s for sure.

Luke Hochevar looked like a bust at the end of the 2012 season.

After being the first overall pick in the 2006 MLB amateur draft, it seemed like Luke Hochevar had the capabilities to be a reliable arm in the Kansas City Royals‘ rotation. After shooting down contracts with the Los Angeles Dodgers twice, the Royals landed Hochevar first overall in the 2006 draft.

Hochevar never became that dependable starter that the Royals were hoping he’d be. From 2008 to 2012, Hochevar posted season ERAs of 5.51, 6.55, 4.81, 4.68, and 5.73 and compiled a record of 38-59 in 128 starts.

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Before the 2013 season began, it was announced that Hochevar would be moving to the bullpen. He certainly found his niche there, going 5-2 with a 1.92 ERA in 70.1 innings pitched over 58 games. Hochevar had two saves in 2013, and looked good out of the bullpen. It was a bummer when he had to miss all of 2014 due to needing Tommy John surgery.

When Hochevar was ready to return in 2015, the hype was through the roof. If the Royals bullpen was as good as it was in 2014, imagine how much better it’d be in 2015 with Hoch rejoining the squad.

Things weren’t perfect for Hochevar though in 2015. His first appearance saw him pitch an inning against the Cleveland Indians and striking out two without allowing a hit. Things got rough for Hoch after that.

The former first overall pick had an ERA of 7.20 at the end of May. His worst appearance came against the Indians in late July when he allowed six hits and four runs in an eventual 12-1 rout.

Fortunately, Hochevar regained his composure and ended the regular season with a 3.73 ERA and a 1-1 record in 49 games and 50.2 innings pitched. The most impressive stretch for Hoch came during the postseason where he appeared in nine games and pitched 10.2 innings.

Hochevar had a number of solid performances in the postseason. One was in Game 2 of the ALCS after Yordano Ventura had loaded the bases in the sixth inning with the Royals down 3-0. Hochevar went out with only out and did not allow any further damage. Not allowing a run ended up being huge, as the Royals ended up winning 6-3 to take a 2-0 series lead over the Blue Jays.

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What Hochevar will most be remembered for this season though is in Game 5 of the World Series. He pitched two innings of shutout baseball to help keep his team in the game and eventually earn the win in the final game of the season.

It was an impressive outing for Luke and really was the perfect ending for him this season. He ended the postseason with an ERA of 0.00 and became the reliable guy out of the bullpen that fans had hoped for when he first was activated in May.

Once Greg Holland went down for the season, it was imperative that Hochevar step up and fill the void. It proved to be an even bigger moment for Hochevar when Ryan Madson struggled during the playoffs.

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The former starter delivered in his relief appearances though and the Royals bullpen should continue to be good in 2016 with Luke Hochevar on board.