Former No. 1 overall pick Luke Hochevar is back in the Kansas City Royals’ bullpen after being recalled Thursday.
The Royals optioned left-hander Brandon Finnegan to Double-A Nashville. Hochevar logged 10 innings at the Triple-A level and gave up 16 hits and eight walks in his return to the mound after Tommy John surgery in 2014.
“I’m good to go, time to get these training wheels off,” Hochevar said with a smile Thursday.
Hochevar became an asset in the bullpen with his 98 mph fastball following a rocky tenure in the starting rotation. It might require a few weeks – perhaps longer – for him to assimilate a regular role in the Royals’ power-arm packed relief corps.