Summarizing Matt Strahm’s 2021 season

Matt Strahm didn’t provide much impact to the Padres this season, as he couldn’t stay on the field. He didn’t make his first appearance for the Friars until August 3, which was one of just six times we saw him all season long. In only one of those six appearances did he allow more than one run. Strahm ended up with an 8.10 ERA in just 6.2 innings of work this season.

Strahm couldn’t pitch until after the All-Star break due to right knee inflammation and a right patellar tendon tear. He then got shut down for the remainder of 2021 after experiencing inflammation yet again in his right knee in mid-August.

Strahm was one of the relievers the Padres were counting on to return from the injured list in the middle of the season to provide some sort of boost to a taxed bullpen, but he obviously couldn’t deliver that boost since he wasn’t on the field. It looks like he spent his time rehabbing unpackaging baseball cards on his YouTube channel.

He is under contract for the 2022 season before becoming a free agent. Next year seems like it will be his last year in San Diego unless he stays healthy all of a sudden and essentially forces A.J. Preller to bring him back.