The Padres have placed starter Andrew Cashner on the 15-day disabled list with a strained neck, MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell of MLB.com tweets. Replacing him on the Padres’ active roster will be newcomer Erik Johnson, who will start tonight.
As Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune explains, Cashner experienced a loss of velocity in his start yesterday against the Rockies before the Padres removed him. Via Brooks Baseball, none of Cashner’s pitches yesterday topped 89 MPH. His fastball typically sits in the mid-90s.
“His velo was down from the first batter,” says Padres manager Andy Green. “He experienced it kind of late in the bullpen warming up and after watching him throw he didn’t look like himself. After a batter, I thought it was best to get him out of there.”
Cashner has had a disappointing season thus far, with a 4.75 ERA, 6.1 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 53 innings while also missing time last month due to a hamstring strain. There would surely be plenty of trade whispers about him if he were healthy and pitching as he had in 2014 or perhaps even as he did in an underwhelming 2015 season, given that he’s eligible for free agency in the fall. His current injury surely won’t help the Padres if they hope to acquire young talent for him later this summer.