Luke Hochevar (elbow) could start the year on the DL, the Kansas City Star's Andy McCullough reports.

Hochevar (elbow) could start the year on the DL, the Kansas City Star's Andy McCullough reports.

Analysis:

Manager Ned Yost said that if Hochevar is not ready for the start of the season, he should be ready soon after, so we should see him pitching out of the Royals' bullpen by mid-to-late April at the latest. He could be the next excellent Royals reliever, but Hochevar will only offer strong ratios and strikeouts, given the list of names ahead of him in the pecking order for saves.