Baseball Daily Dose: Daily Dose: Vincent Chased
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Phillies right-hander Vincent Velasquez carried a cool 3.67 ERA (113 ERA+) and 10.7 K/9 into his start Wednesday afternoon against the Cubs, but he made it through just two pitches — one at 86 mph, the other at 87 mph — before leaving with a trainer in the bottom of the first inning. For a guy who averages 94.2 mph with his fastball, that sudden dropoff in velocity was troubling.
Velasquez admitted after the game that he began feeling discomfort in his right arm during warmups. The diagnosis for now is “right biceps soreness,” but there are tests and examinations to come.
Velasquez underwent Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery back in 2010, shortly after being selected in the second round by the Astros. Houston sent him to Philly this winter in the Ken Giles trade and the recently-turned 24-year-old had quickly made himself an important part of the club’s ongoing organizational rebuild. But biceps discomfort is sometimes a symptom of a larger elbow issue.
“I’ve been in this situation before, so I know how to stay positive all the way through,” Velasquez told CSNPhilly.com, somewhat ominously, on Wednesday. “I don’t know what to expect, all I know is to have the right mindset.”
The options to replace him are Brett Oberholtzer, David Buchanan, Severino Gonzalez, and Zach Eflin.
Eflin was a supplemental first-round pick (33rd overall) of the Padres in 2012 and has posted a nice-looking 3.14 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 51/8 K/BB ratio over 63 total innings this season at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. But the 22-year-old righty has allowed 10 earned runs in his last 10 1/3 frames and he is not currently on the Phillies’ 40-man roster. We wouldn’t recommend stashing him in anything but a deep NL-only league.
The next opponent for Velasquez would have been the Blue Jays.
That’s going to be a tough assignment for whoever takes the spot.
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Rays Give Smyly Some Time Off
Rays starter Drew Smyly was a popular late-round pitcher in drafts this spring (Yahoo ADP: 193.3) and he looked sharp over the first seven weeks of the 2016 season, but something has gone really wrong.
The left-hander gave up five earned runs over six innings May 26 against the Marlins, eight earned runs in four innings May 31 versus the Royals, and then four earned runs in five innings June 5 (this past Sunday) against the light-hitting Twins. That’s a whopping 17 earned runs (on 25 hits) over his last 15 innings.
Rays manager Kevin Cash announced Wednesday that Smyly probably won’t pitch again until June 15 against the Mariners, which would give him nine days of rest. Cash called it a mental and physical break, noting that Monday’s scheduled off day allows for the move. Smyly owners probably needed a break of their own anyway.
This apparently won’t affect the status of top pitching prospect Blake Snell, but you can bet he’s coming soon. The 23-year-old southpaw struck out nine batters over six scoreless innings in his last outing at Triple-A Durham and boasts a 3.14 ERA with 77 strikeouts over 57 1/3 total innings this season in the Pacific Coast League.
He yielded just two hits and a walk over five innings of one-run ball in his major league debut April 23 at Yankee Stadium, striking out six. Smyly is on notice, but probably even more on notice is Matt Moore.
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National League Quick Hits: Mets acquired INF/OF Kelly Johnson from the Braves for RHP Akeel Morris … Starling Marte missed a second straight start Wednesday with left ankle discomfort … Cubs prospect Albert Almora singled, drove in a run, scored a run, and had an outfield assist Wednesday in his first-ever major league start … Shelby Miller (finger) is scheduled to make his first rehab start Thursday with High-A Visalia … Julio Teheran struck out eight batters over eight strong innings Wednesday in a win over the Padres … Brandon Moss slugged a pair of homers Wednesday in the Cardinals’ defeat of the Reds … Gregory Polanco rapped three doubles in five at-bats during a loss to the Mets on Wednesday night … Chris Owings missed another game Wednesday with what could be plantar fasciitis … Braves placed starter Williams Perez on the 15-day disabled list with a right rotator cuff strain … Making his major league debut, Pirates prospect Jameson Taillon eked out a quality start by allowing three runs over six innings Wednesday in a no-decision against the Mets … Dodgers starter Brandon McCarthy (elbow) will likely begin a rehab assignment with High-A Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday … Max Scherzer tossed seven scoreless innings in defeating the White Sox on Wednesday … Mets closer Jeurys Familia walked three Pirates in the 10th inning but hung on for his 19th save on Wednesday … Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that Julio Urias will remain on a pitch count of 80-90 … Brewers right-hander Matt Garza (shoulder) is scheduled to make one final rehab start with Low-A Wisconsin on Thursday … Matt Cain (hamstring) threw 72 pitches in a simulated game on Wednesday … Rockies reliever Adam Ottavino (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment with High-A Modesto on Friday … Dodgers released INF/OF Alex Guerrero.
American League Quick Hits: Blue Jays manager John Gibbons confirmed Wednesday that Troy Tulowitzki (quad) is on track to return from the disabled list when first eligible on June 13 … Yu Darvish was lifted from his Wednesday start against the Astros after five innings due to right shoulder tightness but said after the game that he expects to take his next turn … Twins right-hander Brandon Kintzler earned his first career save Wednesday against the Marlins and will continue to get ninth-inning chances with Minnesota … Cameron Maybin received a cortisone shot for his sore wrist Monday and is expected to return to the Tigers’ lineup Friday … Steve Pearce (elbow) is expected to return to the Rays’ starting lineup on Friday … Josh Donaldson finished 3-for-4 with a homer, a triple, three runs scored, and three RBI in the Blue Jays’ defeat of the Tigers on Wednesday … Danny Valencia was out of the A’s lineup again on Wednesday due to a stomach bug … Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Chris Davis (thumb) should be able to return to the lineup on Thursday … A’s lefty Rich Hill (groin) will not make his scheduled start against the Reds on Saturday … Adrian Beltre left Wednesday’s game against the Astros due to a sore left hamstring … Corey Dickerson went 3-for-4 with a pair of solo home runs in Wednesday’s win over the Diamondbacks … Angels manager Mike Scioscia said that there is a “possibility” Andrelton Simmons (thumb) could rejoin the team this weekend … Khris Davis missed another game Wednesday with lingering numbness in his fingers … Chris Tillman pitched masterfully to earn a win over the Royals on Wednesday night, slinging 7 1/3 innings of shutout baseball while whiffing a career high nine batters and walking none … Mike Trout had a strong game with three hits and his 13th blast of the season on Wednesday … While Josh Hamilton was undergoing surgery to repair arterial and meniscus cartilage in his left knee, the surgeon also discovered an ACL injury … Chris Parmelee had three hits, including two home runs, to go with three runs and three RBI on Wednesday night against the Angels … Leonys Martin (hamstring) will head to Triple-A Tacoma to begin a rehab assignment on Thursday … Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said that first base prospect A.J. Reed is “getting closer” to being called up … Taijuan Walker struck out 11 batters over eight scoreless innings Wednesday in a win over Cleveland … Indians catcher Yan Gomes remains day-to-day with a testicular bruise … James Shields‘ debut with the White Sox was a bust, as he was torched for seven runs in two-plus innings by the Nationals on Wednesday.
