Mariners righty Hisashi Iwakuma has been shut down for ten days to two weeks after experiencing continued upper back tightness, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports. “He’s going to be pushed back, so to speak,” said manager Lloyd McClendon. “His rehab has not gone as well as we thought it would have gone. He’s still experiencing some stiffness.” The longer Iwakuma is delayed, the more it begins to look like another arm might be a trade deadline consideration for Seattle.
- Meanwhile, the Red Sox rotation woes worsened last night with a rough outing for Justin Masterson. As Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com reports, manager John Farrell indicated that there is cause to believe there is more to be concerned with than the poor results. “The last two times out for Justin have not been anywhere close to what he’s shown this year — set aside prior to the start of 2015,” said Farrell. “Clearly, he’s not right. Whether that’s physical, whether that’s delivery-wise, the ball is not coming out of his hand as he’s shown the better part of the year. We’ve got to gather information, we’ve got to check on him in the morning, get a full workup, get a better assessment of where things are.”
- Of course, it’s far from clear that there is any realistic possibility of an outside addition to the Red Sox staff in the immediate future. As Alex Speier of the Boston Globe explains, utilizing the MLBTR Transaction Tracker, history teaches that starters (at least, impactful ones) are rarely dealt in the season’s first two months. Regardless, the club figures to be at or near a breaking point with its current starting five, and it would be surprising if internal replacements — Eduardo Rodriguez, most interesting among them — are not at least given a chance as the summer draws near.
- The Orioles are holding their breath after 20-year-old prospect Hunter Harvey left an outing with elbow tightness, as Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun reports. The rising Harvey, who is coming back from a shin fracture suffered this spring, already was shut down late last year with some elbow concerns and now is set for an MRI. His health and progress is critical to the organization, particularly with Dylan Bundy dealing with his own elbow problems and with the aforementioned Rodriguez shipped out at last year’s trade deadline.
I’m confused — is Boston really shocked or surprised at how Masterson looks right now? In 25 starts last year, he was knocked around in at least 2/3 of them. It didn’t matter what ballpark or who the opponent was. Only a few times was he truly on his game in ’14. In half of his starts this year he’s been knocked out before reaching the 5th inning. His mechanics are inconsistent and haven’t looked right for over a year now. Just perhaps somebody wants to break out video of him in ’13 and they’ll see where to begin with him.
He was injured last year. He’s presumably healthy this year. Imagine for a second people thought last year was a fluke due to the aforementioned injury. Just imagine a team signed him for a one year make good deal and was hoping he would revert back to 2013 form. It didn’t happen clearly, but it’s not exactly far fetched. Low risk high reward. Is the outcome a surprise? No, but it could have gone either way. Usually players don’t lose 5 mph off their fastball in a single season between their age 29 and 30 season. Figuring an injury may have had something to do with that isn’t exactly a huge stretch. It didn’t work out but it wasn’t an illogical leap to think there may have been some bounce back between 2014 and 2015.
I’m with you. Masterson had potential to revert back to his old self. But he was not a sure thing by any stretch of the imagination, as you alluded to. He could have gone back to what he was, or what he is now, or somewhere in between. I get that.
However, why the Red Sox? With their entire rotation being question marks after question marks, why did they take that “low risk” chance on him? (btw, can 10m really be classified as low risk?) Everybody in that rotation had potential to pitch well, or pitch poorly, some more than others in both regards. Is that really the smartest way to build a rotation?
The SP transactions, and non-transactions, the Red Sox have made are baffling for what is usually considered a smart organization.
They signed him because they knew they could do exactly what they are doing now. Put him on the DL or DFA him if it didn’t work out and replace him with someone from AAA. They make these kind of signings every season. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t.
You would think that they would have made sure he was throwing healthy before signing him, that his fastball had regained its velocity. They should have even done an “extra thorough” physical to make sure nothing was ailing. For 10MM, I could have a bone sticking out of my leg, but I’d tell you I was healthy.
Before they signed him December 11th? Maybe they thought he needed the winter off to get healthy. It’s not like he’d been resting for 6 months. I doubt there is anything wrong with him that would have showed on medical testing anyway. He’s got mechanical issues. I doubt they would have signed him if his arm was dangling by a thread.
Obviously, since they signed him for 10MM, they must have thought they were the smartest guys in the room. If they were unable to check him thoroughly, because of the timing, they should have offered less guaranteed and more innings incentives. After last year, he was no longer worth 10MM.
I can’t wait to see E-Rod. Masterson is done. His control and velocity are gone. He is gonna need some time to figure it out or something. I could see him being an effective reliever, but he is going to have to take the next little while to figure himself out mechanically and to get his control back.
I want to see Rodriguez too, but unfortunately I think they’ll start Wright. Imagining a knuckler pitching to the Mariners fills me with an overwhelming sense of dread.
Thankfully, it is a big ball park. I honestly hope we see E-Rod the next time round if Masterson still isn’t back (or is pushed to the bullpen). I like having Wright in a long-man relief role, which this team obviously needs, but I’m not sure he will be consistent enough being a knuckleballer that he would provide a significant upgrade over Masterson and his inconsistancies.
Ideally Masterson works out his issues (or doesn’t it’s all the same to me) as a long reliever, Wright goes back to AAA and ERod gets Masterson’s spot in the rotation. Whether that actually happens is anyone’s guess. I just hope they don’t march Wright out there to get shellacked before calling for Rodriguez.
I think it might be beneficial for the Red Sox to put him in the bullpen and see if is his velocity can’t tick back up. If nothing else you should have a decent ROOGY like they had in Badenhop last year. He’s a sunk cost at this point, might as well try to use him optimally.
Hey! Lets send him to Pawtucket! He can keep Castillo and Craig company.
Is Bundy still hurt?
He’s making a very slow TJ recovery but it looks like he’s thrown 16 innings in 6 starts at AA this season with very good results. (11 hits, 18 Ks). Orioles are being cautious with him, as they should. He is supposedly touching the upper ’90s with his fastball.
Bundy is a complete post-hype talent. Gausman and he could be very formidable.
Scouting reports haven’t really meshed with what you’re saying. Everything Kiley McDaniel has said at Fangraphs is that scouts are seeing 60 grade pitches, not the 70 and 80 grades he was getting pre-TJ.
I haven’t read those; interesting. I was just looking at the stat line and reading the velocity report from his last outing.
Boston go get Cole Hamels NOW !
The whole rotation is disaster. Unless Hamels can pitch 7 innings every other day it’s pointless.
Hamels isn’t gonna make or break the season right now. The rotation as a whole needs to contribute. If all they can rely would be Hamels and Porcello, then the struggles will continue. Right now, they need to see Buchholz be a capable #3, Miley going back to being average, and whoever else being able to contribute in Masterson’s place. If that happens, then I’m sure they would explore a rotation upgrade, but that isn’t right now. In a realistic world that would lead to a rotation of (Ace)/Porcello/Buchholz/Miley/(Insert rookie here) with Kelly being pushed to the bullpen, but that ain’t gonna happen until they play baseball the way they are capable of doing.
Just stop that!
Everybody knew the RS rotation is not top level but few expected the results shown so far. More annoying is the offense sputtering for a while now, which also few expected. It seems RS is playing a not so wise waiting game hoping pitchers will just pitch better and hitters just hit better. Masterson should just be sent to the minors or DFA and bring up a prospect (Wright, Rodriguez, Barnes), No hopes Victorino will get better and why bring up Bradley if you are not playing him for a few games in a row? You will just mess him up.
Seriously? Wright is already up and Bradley isn’t going to get at bats against lefties. He’s a platoon partner for Victorino.
Wright is up as long reliever for now and Bradley was hitting well in the minors and I guess he was getting at bats against lefties too over there.
It’s the only spot available for him. If he can hit he’ll hit.
Many people here including myself saw the starting rotation for what it was. And the bullpen isn’t a whole lot better. Nor is the overhyped bench.
The Red Sox need to determine if they are rebuilding or contending. If they’re contending then they need to trade some prospects and get at least 3-4 veteran players that are contributing this year. If they are rebuilding they need to figure out how to acclimate those players to MLB in a way in which their confidence is not destroyed as they go through what 98% of veterans did when they were first called up. And if they prefer to continue to straddle the fence then this situation will continue. As presently constructed, that is a team of players that simply do not fit – they do compliment one another very much.
I am pretty sure RS are thinking of contending for now and I would agree with that as myself – as a simple fan – consider them as contenders. I am quite sure they do have a plan for the near future I just hope they will not rush into a bad trade.
If you think a team can contend with that pitching staff and bench……
I wonder if Boston would be willing to look at a late middle-aged non-power arm for the bullpen? True, I’m a Yankee fan, but it might be fun. And my kids would laugh.
The Red Sox rolled the dice over the winter with basically below average starters. This should not be a big surprise to anyone that their rotation is awful. They took a lot of chances and are seeing the results.
Here’s what I would do. Get rid of Miley, Masterson. Maybe get rid of Buchholz too. Move Kelly to the back end of the bullpen. Keep porcello as the number 3 and let E-Rod, Johnson, Wright and Owens make a case for the bottom 2 rotation spots and trade for a number 1 and 2 pitcher. Yes I realize it’s a lot to move in the beginning/middle of the season but what other choice do the Red Sox have besides letting this disaster get worse. Also cut ties with Vic or keep him on the bench and get Castillo up here already. It angers me more and more each day that these types of moves aren’t being made. What are they waiting for? To be 12 games out of first place?
It’s not to much of a realistic plan IMO.
What’s so unrealistic about it? Not saying these moves can be made in a week but they could at least begin to make these moves by calling up guys. Maybe I’ve been playing too much mlb the show lol but I don’t see any other solution if Boston is going to compete
Buchholz/Miley/Porcello should be fine going forward. Just have to remain patient. The Sox have options, they just have to let sample sizes build a bit before making those types of decisions.
I love the idea of moving Kelly to the back end and getting him some stellar 2 seamer coaching to add some sink. Cut the fastball..I think he has top flight set up in him. Wouldn’t be the first marginal 4-5 starter to find it back there… Wade Davis…Jeremy Affeldt
Brett Cecil, Tyler Clippard, Luke Hochevar, the list is long with converted starters.
Miley has been too good the last thee years to get rid of him after 7 starts and he pitched great last night.
I think Porcello, Miley, Clay, E-Rod, Kelly should be the rotation through June and then if in contention and Kelly is struggiling you make a trade for a SP. There aren’t 5 clearly better teams in the AL running away with the playoff spots so don’t rush it.
Sox are planning on being sellers again. Then they will sign a couple of aces this winter. Why trade the future for the next 6 months, when you could trade the next 6 months for the future?
Or you could not give a false choice. The Red Sox could bring in a pitcher or two that could help without trading their ‘future’ away. There are surely some option C and D’s to consider.
his velocity has dropped every year for the last 5 I believe. That’s a pretty good sign of things to come. It wasn’t like it was just the last 2 years. It went from 93.1 in 2011, to 87.9 mph now. Again, with each yr dropping.