North Dakota’s Lone MLB Player May Be Done for the Year
Matt Strahm is currently the only active MLB player who was born in North Dakota.
Well he was the only active one until a few days ago. Strahm was placed on the 60 day DL by the Kansas City Royals July 3 following an injury to his patellar tendon (knee). The injury occurred against the Minnesota Twins last Saturday.
Strahm, a pitcher born in West Fargo, was drafted by the Royals in the 21st round of the 2012 MLB draft. He made his debut in the majors last year on July 31.
In 21 relief appearances last year, Strahm was excellent registering 30 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched while having an ERA of just 1.23.
This year, Strahm has not been as sharp. In 24 relief appearances, he boasts a 2-5 record with a 5.45 ERA. He's still averaging more than a strikeout per inning though fanning 37 batters in 34.2 innings.
Strahm, now on the 60 day DL, is eligible to come back on Aug. 30 according to the Kansas City Star. However, The Star also reports that Strahm is seeking a second opinion on his patellar tendon injury to see if he needs surgery. Surgery would force him to miss the rest of the season.
The Royals are currently a half game out of first place in the AL Central.