Boston Red Sox reliever Matt Strahm has quite the offseason project on his hands.
Currently serving as one of the top high-leverage relievers on Boston's roster, the 30-year-old would like to expand his workload moving forward.
"A free agent after this season, Red Sox lefty reliever Matt Strahm wants to follow the path of Los Angeles Angels right-hander Michael Lorenzen and transition from being a reliever to a starter," The Athletics' Ken Rosenthal wrote Tuesday.
Strahm has made 25 starts in his career, posting a 4-10 record with a 5.08 ERA in 108 innings. As a reliever, he's made 165 appearances, going 12-17 with a 3.01 ERA in 179 2/3 innings. While it appears the left-hander is best suited for the bullpen, he doesn't have to look far to find an even more unlikely transition.
"Actually, Strahm says his idol is teammate Rich Hill, who returned to starting full-time in 2015 at age 35, then turned a brilliant four-start run with the Red Sox into increasingly larger free-agent contracts -- first, a one-year, $6 million deal with the Oakland Athletics, then a three-year, $48 million agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers," Rosenthal continued. "I've got five pitches, and I'm not getting rid of any of 'em,' Strahm said."
Strahm is one of the latest examples of Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom finding diamonds in the rough. The 6-foot-2 flamethrower has posted a 3.58 ERA in 27 2/3 innings this season while pitching in some key spots. He exited Tuesday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays after being struck on the wrist with a comebacker and is awaiting results on the significance of his injury.
Should he escape with just a scare, Strahm should have plenty of opportunities to prove his worth in the second half ahead of free agency.
