The Astros have been using a six-man rotation for the last couple of weeks, in order to both ease Justin Verlander’s return from the 15-day injured list and to help manage the innings of Ronel Blanco and Spencer Arrighetti. With the team preparing to move back to the traditional five-man staff, GM Dana Brown said on his weekend radio show (hat tip to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome) that Blanco will probably be the pitcher moved into relief work. The right-hander had a 4.98 ERA in his last seven starts and 34 1/3 prior to today’s start, when he looked sharp in tossing five shutout innings in the Astros’ 7-2 win over the Royals.
Blanco’s unexpected emergence has been a revelation for a Houston team hit hard by rotation injuries earlier this season. He threw a no-hitter against the Blue Jays in his very first start of 2024, setting the tone for a year that has seen him post a 3.03 ERA over 148 1/3 innings. The concern is that Blanco has already topped his previous high of 125 1/3 innings across the majors and minors in 2023, and Houston naturally wants to keep him fresh for the playoffs. The Astros’ rotation has been so dominant in recent weeks that they can afford to lose Blanco’s production, and there’s plenty of upside to using Blanco as a bullpen weapon down the stretch and into October.
More items from around the AL West….
- It has been over a month since Max Scherzer last pitched, as he was dealing with right shoulder fatigue and then had a Double-A rehab start on August 23 canceled for unspecified reasons. Scherzer discussed the situation with MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry and other reporters this weekend, saying he was hampered by a nerve problem in his triceps area, but it wasn’t actual nerve damage, as tests revealed. A change to Scherzer’s throwing motion might’ve “solved this,” as “there was something mechanically going on with my elbow and elbow retraction that was making that radial nerve of my tricep get irritated,” Scherzer said. “Yesterday, I got on the mound to do a full bullpen and no issue….Structurally, I’m fine. Strength, I’m fine. I don’t have an injury here. This was just a nerve irritation.” Scherzer is now hopeful that he’ll be able to properly resume his rehab program within the week, and he believes he’ll return to the Rangers rotation before the season is over.
- Jose Soriano was placed on the 15-day injured list on August 17, but he won’t be activated when first eligible. It isn’t yet clear if Soriano will return at all in 2024, as Angels GM Perry Minasian told the media (including MLB.com) that the team is considering shutting Soriano down. The right-hander was sent to the IL due to arm fatigue, which isn’t unexpected given that Soriano has thrown a career-high 113 innings this season. His previous high was 82 1/3 innings in the minors in 2019, before two separate Tommy John surgeries put Soriano on the shelf for almost three full years. He made his big league debut as a reliever in 2023 and moved into the rotation this season, posting a very respectable 3.42 ERA across his 113 frames. With some solid results already in the books, the Angels might opt to just let Soriano get a head start on his 2025 preparations rather than ramp him back up for another outing or two this season.
Max Scherzer claimed he changed his arm angle on the last session and had no difficulty or discomfort, Hopefully he come back soon.
It’s probably time to face the reality that he’s done and needs to retire.
Him and JV are chasing infamy at this point. It probably doesn’t help there isnsome bad blood between the 2 and Scherezer currently is 10th All Time I’m Ks with 3405 to JVs 3402. I just don’t see either willingly retiring while the other continues pitching.
No, they aren’t. They are chasing paychecks, which they should.(And is normal) Nobody gives a h00t about stats or rivalries or any silly like that
@Frog I’m sure neither is even aware that there are currently 3 career Ks between the 2 at this moment. I’m sure neither is aware that if they both were to retire one would be out of the top 10 All Time….
Seriously get real.
Who are you to say that?
Who is who to say what?
And who are you to say who are you, lol?
Who are you to say that?
==========================
So no more opinions allowed?
If teams are worried about innings on their starters why do they coddle them in the minors? Look around the minor leagues and count how many prospects get 100 innings? Clearly what they’re doing now isn’t preventing injuries so you might as well have your rookies available for the full season rather than on innings limits.
It’s a different game today. Starting pitchers use to be able to coast through much of the lineup and lean on fastballs. Today. They throw the ball 15% faster, throw many more stressful pitches and go all out.
It’s like saying, why can’t sprinters run 400 Meters at the same pace as 100 meters? It’s not a matter of conditioning.
It’s not working as well as you would like because human beings are incapable of such stress. The body can’t do it. The pitchers either need to stop going all out, or they need to pitch fewer innings. And since hitters are better, if they don’t go all out, they are unlikely to be good.
All the fundamentals we were taught as kids learning to play the game are gone. Hitters aren’t “better”, they just swing out of their shoes at everything and thanks to launch angle get under the ball instead of staying on top of it. Pitchers aren’t throwing more stressful pitches than they did before, they are just trying to throw everything 100MPH on every pitch. Teach pitchers how to mix speeds and locations like they used to in the not-so distant past and starters would last longer. MLB obviously sees a problem and it’s not the human condition, or they wouldn’t be trying to tie the DH to the number of innings the starter throws in a game
I think most people believe hitters are better. And I’m pretty sure they are right.
Athletes get better. It’s hard to believe people don’t believe that.
Athletes have gotten better physically, there is no question there we can see it and it’s backed by most stats. As for if they re more talented we ll never know. We don’t know how players of the past would ve benefited from modern nutrition and training.
As for hitters and pitchers being better, they re more productive that we know. We might not like how it has changed the way the game is played. But they know can better quantify where value is generated.
Two different points. If Ben Joyce went back in time, he would eat Babe Ruth for lunch.
If baby Babe Ruth went forward in time, would he have the discipline to utilize all of today’s tools to become one of the all time great players? God only knows.
I hate the Astros
And?
I love that the Mariners are a lock to collapse at some point every year. But seriously though, I actually would really like the Mariners and wish them well if they weren’t division rivals. I feel for you Mariners fans though, you need some exciting offense to back up that nasty rotation. Sincerely, a fan of the team you hate.
User name checks out.
These pitchers just need some garbage cans an some chicken an beer
The Angels are never honest about player injuries until they have to be. We haven’t heard the whole story yet on Soriano.
Let’s be honest, since the angels brass can’t be. They are never honest about player injuries, and can’t be honest about a rebuild, or anything else they think might make the team look bad.
What team is honest about injuries?
What team is honest about roster manipulation or spending?
On the later, the Angels are more honest than most.
Other teams might be careful about how much they divulge at first, but the Angels actually lie about injuries.
Every team is either wrong or lies about injuries. Play fantasy baseball and you’ll figure that out real fast.
While I hope your prediction is not accurate, I share your skeptisism on this. If fatigue is the central issue, it seems reasonable to let him get an early start on the offseason. My prayer is that Soriano returns to Spring training vibrant, healthy and ready to build on his strong first year as a starter, and is a reliable front-end starter for 150+ innings the next several years with a sub 3.50 era.
The best example is a few years ago when they reported that Ohtani had a blister that turned into Ohtani needed Tommy John surgery two weeks later.
Nothing will change until the team’s revenue drops. Fans have to start getting angry and respond by not supporting the team financially. It will never happen so until Moreno sells, this is the team we have.