After giving the Royals some decent seasons from 2012-2014, Jeremy Guthrie was not good in 2015. He pitched to a 5.95 ERA (5.61 FIP) and led the league in home runs allowed, despite pitching in spacious Kauffman Stadium and losing his rotation spot after just 24 starts. Yet the Royals managed to go 14-10 in those starts, a .583 winning percentage that was just about the same as the team’s record on the season.
Now that was a good team with an above-average offense and an outstanding bullpen, so he had support. But was there a reason the Royals were able to win with Guthrie on the mound, even though he rarely pitched particularly well?