The Royals designated Stratton for assignment Sunday.
Stratton exercised his $4.5 million player option for 2025 during the offseason after posting a 5.55 ERA in 57 appearances last year, and the Royals have decided to cut him loose after he gave up 15 earned runs across 17 innings to begin the current season. The right-hander seems likely to clear waivers given what remains of his salary.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Struggles in regular-season debut
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Stratton allowed two runs on three hits and two walks with no strikeouts over 1.2 innings Sunday against Cleveland.
Stratton's season ended in mid-September due to a forearm injury, but he was healthy in spring training. He was unimpressive last season with a 5.55 ERA, 17.1 percent K rate and 12.8 percent walk rate but was a consistent part of the middle-relief corps. A slow start to the season won't help him find higher-leverage usage.
Stratton (forearm) exercised his $4.5 million player option for the 2025 season Thursday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
Stratton threw 58.1 innings out of the bullpen for the Royals in 2024, occasionally working in high-leverage situations. He posted a 5.55 ERA and 1.47 WHIP to go along with four saves and five holds. Stratton's season ended in mid-September due to forearm injury, though he is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: On track for start of spring
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Stratton (forearm) is expected to be healthy for the beginning of spring training, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Stratton missed the final couple weeks of the regular season and the playoffs with a right flexor strain, but he's expected to recover with an offseason of rest. The veteran reliever holds a $4.5 million player option for 2025, which he seems likely to exercise after posting a lackluster 5.55 ERA and 44:33 K:BB over 58.1 innings in 2024.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Placed on injured list
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The Royals placed Stratton on the 15-day injured list Saturday with a right forearm flexor strain.
Stratton surrendered two earned runs over an inning out of the bullpen Friday, but he appears to have come away from his latest outing with an injury. He won't be eligible to return from the IL until the final game of the season Sept. 29, and it's possible the Royals elect to keep him on the shelf until the start of the postseason, assuming they hang onto their wild-card spot. Until then, Angel Zerpa will come up from the minors to fill the opening in Kansas City's bullpen.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Snags fourth win
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Stratton (4-3) earned the win Sunday over the Tigers, striking out one in a perfect inning.
Stratton worked the eighth inning with the Royals down 2-0, and they took the lead with a three-run home run by MJ Melendez in the ninth. This was Stratton's second win in three appearances. He's allowed six runs (five earned) over 10.1 innings since the start of July, but the right-hander is still getting work in some key moments as the Royals' bullpen remains a weak spot. Stratton has a 4.40 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 39:27 K:BB through 45 innings while adding four saves and five holds this year.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Collects third win
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Stratton (3-3) allowed one run on two hits and struck out one over 1.2 innings to earn the win over the White Sox on Monday.
Stratton got out of Angel Zerpa's jam in the sixth inning but went on to give up an Andrew Vaughn solo home run in the seventh. The Royals then rallied from behind with a six-run eighth, giving Stratton his first win since April 23. The right-hander is at a 4.60 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 38:27 K:BB with four saves and five holds over 43 innings this season. He's played an important role in the bullpen, but Stratton's mediocre numbers make him a shaky fantasy option.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Notches save Thursday
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Stratton earned a save against the Athletics on Thursday by retiring both batters he faced.
Regular closer James McArthur was deployed in a high-leverage situation in the seventh frame and ended up with the victory despite allowing two hits and two walks over one inning of work. That left the door to a save chance open for Stratton, who entered Thursday with three saves on the season but none since May 20. Stratton got the job done against Oakland in a tough spot, as he entered with two runners on base and just one out. The right-hander could see a few additional ninth-inning opportunities along the way, though McArthur remains the favorite for saves in Kansas City.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Melts down in sixth inning
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Stratton (2-3) took the loss and a blown save Thursday versus the Twins, allowing four runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two over two-thirds of an inning.
Stratton worked the sixth inning, relieving starter Daniel Lynch while the Royals were ahead 4-3. That lead didn't hold, as Stratton gave up an RBI single to Max Kepler and a three-run triple to Carlos Correa before John Schreiber finished off the frame. While Stratton has kept runs off the board in seven of his 10 appearances in May, he's allowed seven runs with an 11:6 K:BB over 11 innings for the month. He's at a poor 6.00 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 22:16 K:BB with three saves, three holds and two blown saves over 24 innings this season, serving as an occasional high-leverage option.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Earns third save
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Stratton struck out one batter over 1.1 perfect innings and earned a save over the Tigers on Monday.
Stratton entered in the eighth inning with two outs and the bases jammed. He escaped the threat and retired the side in order to preserve the win. The dangerous circumstances allowed him to earn the save despite Kansas City winning 8-3, which would explain why James McArthur wasn't used. Stratton owns a 4.95 ERA with three saves and three holds through 19 appearances.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Converts second save
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Stratton allowed two walks in a scoreless inning and earned a save over the Brewers on Monday.
Stratton forced a double play after the first walk, so he didn't face a very threatening push from Milwaukee. It was his second save of the year and first since April 6, while it's worth noting that normal closer James MacArthur was likely unavailable after pitching two innings Sunday. Stratton blew his last opportunity when he was slammed for five runs against Detroit on April 27. He is sporting a 5.40 ERA with a shaky 12:12 K:BB through 15 frames.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Hit hard in loss
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Stratton (2-2) allowed five runs on four hits and a walk while striking out one over one inning to take the loss versus the Tigers on Saturday.
Stratton had his worst outing of the season, as the Tigers rallied against him in the seventh inning. He's allowed multiple runs in three of his 12 appearances, but he's maintained scoreless efforts in the other nine. Saturday's poor showing skewed his ratios to a 6.23 ERA and 1.54 WHIP, while his 11:10 K:BB over 13 innings is far from an encouraging sign. Stratton has a save, two holds and a blown save, and it's unlikely one bad appearance will cost him late-inning looks in the long run.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Earns win Tuesday
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Stratton (2-1) did not allow a baserunner and struck out one batter over 1.2 innings to earn the win Tuesday versus the Blue Jays.
Stratton allowed an inherited runner to score on a sacrifice fly after relieving starter Michael Wacha in the fifth inning. The Royals rallied ahead in the bottom of the fifth and Stratton delivered a perfect sixth en route to the win. He hasn't been charged with a run over his last five innings and now has a 3.27 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 8:9 K:BB over 11 innings on the year. Stratton's history as a starter makes him an option for multi-inning assignments. He can also work in the late innings, though James McArthur (five) has the advantage for save chances so far, while Stratton and Will Smith (one each) are the only other Royals to pick up a save this season.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Takes first loss
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Stratton (1-1) allowed two runs on a hit and four walks without striking out a batter over one inning, taking the loss Sunday versus the Mets.
Stratton lost his control Sunday, throwing just 11 of 28 pitches for strikes in the poor appearance. He's kept runs off the board in four of his six outings while also earning a save, but he has an ugly 5:7 K:BB that belies trouble ahead. The right-hander is in the high-leverage mix as one of three Royals to log a save this season, but it's fair to say he shouldn't be manager Matt Quatraro's first option in the ninth inning most of the time.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Picks up save Saturday
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Stratton registered the save Saturday versus the White Sox, striking out one in a perfect inning.
One night after James McArthur rescued Will Smith to net a save, Royals manager Matt Quatraro turned to Stratton in the ninth up three with the top of the lineup due for the White Sox. He disposed of the side on just 12 pitches to record his first save of the season and 13th of his career. Nick Anderson got the hold in this one with a scoreless eighth inning, although he had to pitch around a double and a walk. The Kansas City bullpen situation could continue to be a headache for fantasy managers to figure out. Stratton has thrown his hat in the ring, but he's one of maybe five options Quatraro could potentially look to when the next save opportunity arises.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Nabs win Friday
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Stratton (1-0) earned the win Friday over the White Sox, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out one over one scoreless inning.
Stratton worked the top of the eighth inning, and the Royals broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the frame. The right-hander allowed two runs in his season debut March 28 versus the Twins, but he's bounced back with a pair of scoreless outings. The Royals' bullpen roles remain unsettled, but Stratton is still far down the pecking order for save chances even with Will Smith struggling out of the gate.
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Royals' Chris Stratton: Ugly start to spring
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Stratton has allowed four runs on three hits and two walks while striking out two over two Cactus League innings.
Stratton signed with the Royals in December. The 33-year-old figures to have a decent chance to make the Opening Day roster, at least as a multi-inning relief option. He posted a 3.92 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 81:25 K:BB, one save and seven holds over 82.2 innings between the Cardinals and the Rangers last season. Stratton has occasionally been a setup man, but he tends to allow too many baserunners to be truly effective in a late-inning role.
Stratton signed a one-year, $3.5 million contract with the Royals on Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
The deal also includes a $4.5 million player option for 2025, per Rogers. Stratton operated as a multi-inning reliever for the Cardinals and Rangers in 2023 and posted a combined 3.92 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 81:25 K:BB across 82.2 regular-season innings. He'll likely reprise that sort of bullpen workhorse role with Kansas City.
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