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Vincent Velasquez

Phillies Notes: Velasquez, Morgan, Bohm

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The latest out of Philadelphia…

  • The Phillies moved right-hander Vince Velasquez to their bullpen May 26, but they’re already giving him an opportunity to reclaim his old starting role. Velasquez will start Saturday, when he could “take control of the fifth spot for the time being,” manager Gabe Kapler told Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer and other reporters. The 24-year-old Velasquez hasn’t performed well as either a reliever or starter this season, evidenced by a 4.71 ERA/5.57 FIP in 42 innings. But with no obvious answer behind Aaron Nola, Jake Arrieta, Zach Eflin and Nick Pivetta, the Phillies are turning back to Velasquez. For the most part, Nola, Arrieta, Eflin and Pivetta haven’t been great either, which helps explain the Phillies’ recent tumble down the NL East standings. They’ve lost 13 of 19 since sitting a season-best 11 games over .500 on May 29, and now trail the division-leading Braves by 4 1/2 games.
  • Philadelphia announced Friday that it has reinstated reliever Adam Morgan from the 10-day injured list and optioned fellow lefty Cole Irvin to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Morgan missed just under a month with a left forearm strain. Before that, the former starter pitched to a 1.96 ERA (with a less shiny 3.93 FIP) and logged 8.84 K/9 against 2.45 BB/9 in 18 1/3 innings. Morgan’s return is a bit of good news for a Philly bullpen which is still dealing with injuries to David Robertson, Seranthony Dominguez, Pat Neshek, Victor Arano, Jerad Eickhoff and Tommy Hunter.
  • The Phillies have promoted young third baseman Alec Bohm to the Double-A level, per per the Inquirer’s Matt Breen. The 22-year-old Bohm opened the season at Single-A before jumping to High-A, where he raked with a .329/.395/.506 line (164 wRC+), four home runs, and 17 unintentional walks against 21 strikeouts in 177 plate appearances. Bohm, the third pick in last year’s draft and now MLB.com’s 39th-ranked prospect, could end up in the majors around September if he continues rolling in the minors, Breen writes. The Phillies are weak at third base, where Maikel Franco has managed awful production, though they could remedy that by the July 31 trade deadline instead of counting on Bohm as a late-season savior.

Phillies Move Vince Velasquez To Bullpen, Recall Pivetta

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The Phillies are tinkering with their starting rotation, recalling Nick Pivetta, who will reclaim his spot in the rotation and is slated to start Tuesday’s game against the Cardinals, tweets Matt Breen of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Meanwhile, right-hander Vince Velasquez will transition to a full-time bullpen role moving forward.

Velasquez, who boasts impressive strikeout stuff, has long been mentioned as a candidate to work out of the bullpen, and now we will have a chance to see just how his stuff plays in abbreviated outings in relief. After an impressive two-inning performance on Friday in which he struck out four batters, the Phils will give the 26-year-old Velasquez an extended look out of the bullpen. Velasquez certainly fits the prototype for converted relievers: for his career, the right-hander averages more than one strikeout per inning pitched, but that talent has thus far translated to a mediocre 4.52 career ERA. This season, walks and home runs have emerged as an issue, surrendering 1.9 HR/9 to go with 4.5 BB/9.

Taking his spot in the starting rotation will be Pivetta, who earned himself a short stint in the minor leagues after a frustrating start to his 2019, a year in which he was supposed to break out. Needless to say, there’s still time for Pivetta, who has long tantalized fans with elite pure stuff, to reverse his early-season misfortune and make good on his potential. If his six minor-league starts are any indicator of what’s to come, his raw stuff is still there: the 26-year-old struck out 50 batters in 37 Triple-A innings, good for a ratio of 12.2 K/9. By and large, though, it has been the long ball that has plagued Pivetta in 2019, having allowed 2.5 per nine innings pitched, an average that must come down if he’s to return to the form that he flashed last season.

An improved version of Pivetta would certainly be welcomed by the Phillies, who have received mixed results from their starting rotation, received good production from Zach Eflin, though Aaron Nola has yet to perform like the ace of last year’s staff. At the same time, experimenting with Velasquez in the bullpen could unlock something that prevented him from reaching his full potential as a starter. If something clicks, the Phillies could have themselves a versatile multi-inning threat, a role that surely is of considerable value for a contending team.

 

Phillies Weighing Rotation Change

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As the Phillies seek to map out a pitching plan that keeps them on top of the National League East, they’re preparing for a rotation change. The team is presently deciding whether to return Nick Pivetta or Vince Velasquez to the starting five in time to take the ball next Tuesday, manager Gabe Kapler told reporters including Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia (via Twitter).

Both of those talented but uneven hurlers opened the year in the rotation, but the ground has shifted in the two months since. Pivetta was hit hard in four starts and ended up being optioned back down to figure things out. Velasquez has been shelved with a forearm strain for a few weeks.

In their absence, the Phillies brought in some new arms. Jerad Eickhoff came first; he has firmly laid claim to a job. The same can’t be said of Cole Irvin, who’ll now be bumped out of the group of five. Irvin was bombed in his third start of the year and is likely ticketed for a trip back to Triple-A on optional assignment.

In the aggregate, there’s one spot up for grabs. Pivetta’s claim to the role is simple: he has racked up fifty strikeouts and allowed just 22 hits in 37 Triple-A frames. The stuff is there. He’s also still not commanding the ball perfectly, as evidenced by his twenty walks in that same stretch against minor-league competition. Pivetta’s latest start wasn’t his sharpest effort, as Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

Wandering command has also been an issue for Velasquez. He’s occasionally dominant but has never strung together an exceptional overall season. Velasquez owns a 3.86 ERA in 30 1/3 innings this year, but has been awfully homer- and walk-prone (with seven of the former and 15 of the latter).

Ultimately, both pitchers are sure to have an impact at the MLB level this year (presuming good health, at least). Perhaps both could ultimately be utilized in multi-inning roles other than those of a traditional starter, whether in tandem with one another or in concert with other pitchers. There are plenty of creative possibilities.

For the time being, the Phils need to figure out which pitcher can best help the team rack up the wins it needs to fend off the divisional competition, all while assessing how best the roster can be improved in the summer trade market. Unless Pivetta or Velazquez takes the job and runs with it, there could be more tinkering to come.

Phillies Place Vince Velasquez On IL, Promote Cole Irvin

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SUNDAY: Irvin’s officially up in place of Davis, the Phillies announced.

SATURDAY: The Phillies announced that they’ve placed Vince Velasquez on the 10-day injured list with a right forearm strain. In a corresponding move, the club recalled lefty Austin Davis from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. However, the Phillies will select southpaw Cole Irvin from Triple-A to start in Velasquez’s place Sunday in Kansas City. Irvin will take the last open spot on the Phillies’ 40-man roster.

This is the latest in a long line of arm injuries for Velasquez, who has logged IL time in the past for a biceps strain and a flexor strain, among other problems. Moreover, it’s worth noting a forearm strain sent budding Rays ace Tyler Glasnow to the shelf for four to six weeks on Saturday.  Velasquez suggested this isn’t nearly as serious as Glasnow’s injury, though, telling Scott Lauber of Philly.com and other reporters that he only expects to miss one start.

Velasquez, 26, hasn’t turned into the front-line starter the Phillies wanted when they acquired the then-prospect in a 2015 blockbuster with the Astros, though he has generally been a capable rotation piece. But Velasquez did endure back-to-back subpar starts prior to his IL placement, and most of his production this year hasn’t been nearly as encouraging as the 3.99 ERA and 9.2 K/9 he has put up over six starts and 29 1/3 frames. Along with those numbers, Velasquez has notched a horrid 5.81 FIP with 4.6 BB/9 and, compared to 2018, seen his swinging-strike and contact rates go in the wrong direction. He’s also yielding more than two home runs per nine and benefiting from a .250 batting average on balls in play and a 90.1 percent strand rate.

With Velasquez down, the 25-year-old Irvin will make his big league debut three seasons after the Phillies chose him in the fifth round of the 2016 draft. The former Oregon Duck had been enjoying his second straight sub-3.00 ERA season at the Triple-A level before his promotion, though the rest of his numbers have gone backward since 2018. While MLB.com ranks Irvin as the Phillies’ 16th-best prospect, lauding “his ability to use his four-pitch mix well to keep hitters guessing and off-balance,” the outlet adds that he only features one above-average offering (a changeup).

Phillies Place Vince Velasquez On DL, Activate Pat Neshek

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The Phillies announced a series of roster moves Sunday, including sending right-hander Vince Velasquez to the 10-day disabled list and activating reliever Pat Neshek from the DL. Additionally, the club recalled righty Jake Thompson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and optioned left-hander Zac Curtis.

Velasquez is headed to the shelf after suffering a right forearm contusion in a start against the Nationals on Saturday. The injury came as a result of a line drive Velasquez took off the bat of the Nats’ Adam Eaton (video here). Before landing on the DL, Velasquez racked up 88 1/3 innings across 17 starts and pitched to an underwhelming ERA (4.69), though the hard-throwing 26-year-old managed 10.9 K/9 against 3.46 BB/9 and earned favorable reviews from FIP (3.81), xFIP (3.66) and SIERA (3.55).

With the Phillies currently in possession of a wild-card spot, the loss of Velasquez will be a blow to a rotation that has been among the majors’ most effective units this year. The club’s bullpen hasn’t been a lights-out group, on the other hand, but the addition of Neshek should help matters.

Neshek divided 2017 between Philadelphia and Colorado, the latter of which acquired him last summer, and posted a pristine 1.59 ERA with 9.96 K/9 against .87 BB/9 in 62 1/3 innings. The Phillies then reunited with Neshek in the offseason on a two-year, $16.25MM contract, but he hasn’t pitched for the club since securing that pact. The 37-year-old had been dealing with shoulder and forearm issues dating back to March, though he’s now finally set to rejoin Philly’s bullpen as the team seeks its first playoff berth since 2011.

East Notes: Betts, Eaton, Phillies, Clippard

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Mookie Betts tells WEEI’s Rob Bradford that nothing has changed on his end regarding a potential extension with the Red Sox, as the 25-year-old still has no intention of discussing a long-term deal during the season. Controlled for just two years beyond the current campaign, Betts’ increasing proximity to free agency and his continually elevated level of play have priced a theoretical extension out of bargain territory and into a massive financial undertaking, as Bradford examines. Certainly, that’s the case with any young star as he navigates through the arbitration process, but Betts already has one record arbitration payday in his back pocket, and he’s turning in the best season of his young career thus far. The $30MM annual rate that Jose Altuve secured on his recent extension with the Astros seems like an increasingly relevant comp, if not a baseline, Bradford posits in highlighting the difficulties that the Sox could face in locking up their brightest young star.

More from the game’s Eastern divisions…

  • Adam Eaton’s ankle injury doesn’t appear to be healing as well as the Nationals’ might’ve hoped, as Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports that Eaton is traveling to Wisconsin to be evaluated by a specialist. He’ll meet with orthopedic surgeon Robert Anderson, currently on the Green Bay Packers’ medical staff but also a renowned surgeon who has worked with high-profile athletes ranging from Steph Curry to Cam Newton to Derek Jeter. Eaton has been on the disabled list for nearly a month after suffering an ankle injury on a slide early in the 2018 season.
  • The Phillies announced tonight that they’ve activated right-hander Ben Lively from the 10-day disabled list and optioned him to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The 26-year-old Lively opened the season in Philadelphia’s rotation but struggled to a 6.85 ERA in 23 2/3 innings before landing on the disabled list with a back strain. In his absence, fellow righty Zach Eflin stepped into the rotation and has been outstanding in two starts, yielding a run on seven hits and three walks with 13 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings. He’ll remain in the rotation over Lively for now, and as MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki noted yesterday, a continued hot streak from Eflin could force the Phils to make some tough decisions. GM Matt Klentak has already stated that Jerad Eickhoff will be in the rotation when he returns from the DL later this month, thus pitting Eflin against righties Vince Velasquez and Nick Pivetta for the final two rotation spots behind Aaron Nola and Jake Arrieta. Of course, things can change quickly in the coming weeks, either with a downturn in Eflin’s performance or another injury elsewhere on the roster.
  • With Roberto Osuna on administrative leave and under league investigation, the Blue Jays turned to Tyler Clippard with their first save opportunity. Jays manager John Gibbons deployed setup men Seung Hwan Oh, John Axford and Ryan Tepera in the middle innings on Wednesday evening with his team trailing before handing the ninth inning over to Clippard, who worked a scoreless inning with a pair of strikeouts. While Wednesday’s sequence of events doesn’t necessarily anoint Clippard the closer during Osuna’s absence, it does at least suggest that he’s the early favorite for the role. Signed to a minor league deal this March, Clippard has given the Jays 19 1/3 innings of 1.40 ERA ball with 10.2 K/9, 4.2 BB/9 and 1.4 HR/9. He’s running up a staggeringly low 18.6 percent ground-ball rate, however, which could well be a portent for further homer troubles down the line. As a reminder for fantasy players, you can track ninth-inning situations throughout the game by following MLBTR’s @CloserNews account on Twitter and by utilizing Jason Martinez’s closer depth chart over at Roster Resource.

Vince Velasquez To Undergo Surgery For Vascular Issue

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Phillies righty Vince Velasquez is headed for surgery to address a vascular problem that has caused issues with Velasquez’s right middle finger, manager Pete Mackanin tells reporters including MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki (via Twitter).

It’s never great to end a season with a medical issue, but it sounds as if Velasquez will not require a terribly significant procedure. GM Matt Klentak tells Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link) that Velasquez will only need six to eight weeks of recovery time. Philadelphia has already placed Velasquez on the 60-day DL.

Today’s news raises new concerns for the talented 25-year-old, who has dealt with some arm issues and questions about his long-term role while also flashing quite a lot of talent through his first 258 2/3 MLB innings. Velasquez broke into the bigs with the Astros, but moved to Philadelphia as part of the trade that sent young closer Ken Giles to Houston.

Velasquez made 24 starts for the Phils in 2016, posting a solid 4.12 ERA with 10.4 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9. Sporting a 94.7 mph average fastball velocity and 11.2% swinging-strike rate, Velasquez was dominant at times. But he was also touched for 1.4 home runs per nine innings, a problem that has grown in 2017.

Thus far in the present season, Velasquez has permitted 1.88 long balls per regulation game while carrying only about half the K%-BB% (10.8%) that he did last year (19.4%). The results have followed, as he has only lasted 72 innings over 15 outings and carries an ugly 5.13 ERA.

Despite those struggles, Klentak says that the organization still views Velasquez as a starter. Indeed, there’s little reason for the team not to keep giving him opportunities to stick in the rotation. The Phils likely won’t view themselves as likely contenders in 2018, Velasquez has shown an intriguing ceiling.

So long as Velasquez can return to health by the time camp rolls around — and he’ll have plenty of time to do so — the Phillies will likely pencil him into one of the team’s five starting slots. Philadelphia has a variety of internal options who’ll likely do battle, though, and seems likely to introduce some veteran competition (if not commit a rotation spot or two to a free agent or trade target), so nothing will be assured.

Vince Velasquez Placed On 10-Day DL With Flexor Strain

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TODAY: The Phillies announced that Velasquez has been placed on the 10-day DL. Righty Ricardo Pinto will be called up to take the open roster spot.

YESTERDAY, 11:13pm: Velasquez says that he believes the injury to be mild, Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly tweets, though a trip to the DL will be required regardless.

7:49pm: Phillies righty Vince Velasquez left his outing early tonight after experiencing a velocity drop. The team has now announced that he has been diagnosed with a strained flexor in his right elbow.

Obviously, the severity isn’t yet fully known at this time, but it seems clear that Velasquez will require at least some kind of absence. The Phillies aren’t contending and will surely exercise plenty of care in handling the young righty.

It has already been a trying year for Velasquez, who has shown signs of excellence in the past. Through 48 2/3 innings entering today’s action, he carried a 5.55 ERA with 9.6 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9.

Now, there are increasing questions about durability for Velasquez, who’ll soon turn 25. He missed time last year with a biceps strain and was ultimately shut down for the last month of the year.

Velasquez did manage 136 total frames in 2016 (including a rehab start), which set a career high. But it remains to be seen whether he can carry a full starter’s load. It has long been said that Velasquez may end up pitching from the back of a bullpen, and those calls figure to increase with this latest injury flare-up.

NL Notes: Cardinals, Padres, Phillies

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The Cardinals were aggressive in trying to sign Cuban outfield prospect Luis Robert, but general manager John Mozeliak sensed the 19-year-old would end up elsewhere, writes Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com. Robert proved Mozeliak correct when he agreed to sign with the White Sox on Saturday. Ultimately, St. Louis wasn’t up to paying north of $50 million, including a 100 percent overage tax, for Robert. “When you’re looking at the overall investment, it’s real and historically there are not too many players that sign for that many dollars,” said Mozeliak. “It’s really hard to justify those types of dollars for any player with a lack of a proven track record. No matter how you try to equate the Cuban league or his international experience, it’s very hard to calibrate what that means to here.”

More from two other National League cities:

  • While the Padres would gain an extra year of control over outfielders Manuel Margot and Hunter Renfroe if they’re demoted to the minors for a couple weeks, the team doesn’t plan to send either rookie down, sources informed Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The rebuilding Padres are pleased with the progress the two have made at the major league level, a high-ranking team official told Lin. “We started them here for a reason,” the official noted. “We think they’re ready to contribute and be part of what we’re doing.”
  • Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez continued a disappointing season with another rough outing Saturday, and he suggested afterward that he wouldn’t resist a move to the bullpen. Asked if he feared losing his rotation spot, the hard-throwing Velasquez said (via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com): “Is it a fear? No, it’s not a fear. If it’s a way to help the team in the bullpen, then so be it. But do I think about that going out there? No.” There’s no indication that Velasquez will lose his starting role, though his struggles have nonetheless been alarming. After a highly promising 2016, his first in Philly, the 24-year-old has pitched to a bloated ERA (5.98) over 43 2/3 innings and seen his strikeout and walk rates trend in the wrong direction. Velasquez attributes his issues to “a lack of commitment, a lack of concentration, just a lack of everything” and believes he’s putting too much pressure on himself.
  • It seemed possible on Friday that righty Jered Weaver’s 2/3-inning, seven-earned run debacle against Arizona would go down as his last outing with the Padres, but they’re not ready to move on quite yet. Instead of cutting ties with Weaver, the club placed him on the disabled list Saturday with left hip inflammation. Manager Andy Green indicated the 34-year-old will be out longer than 10 days (per Ryan Posner of MLB.com), saying: “He’s been battling and hasn’t been at full health, and it’s something for the last couple years he’s battled. He just doesn’t feel like he has the freedom to pitch the way he can pitch.” The Padres have lost all nine of the soft-tossing Weaver’s starts, in which he has logged a 7.44 ERA (with an even worse 7.99 FIP) and averaged fewer than five innings per appearance. Since Padres chairman Ron Fowler revealed May 10 that Weaver’s on a short leash, the ex-Angel has given up 15 earned runs in 9 2/3 frames.

NL East Links: Cespedes, Drew, Phillies, Marlins

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Here’s the latest from around the NL East…

  • “There is no urgency” for the Mets to chase Yoenis Cespedes, a source tells ESPN’s Buster Olney (subscription required) since the team already has some outfield depth on hand and can pursue more on the open market for a lower price than Cespedes will command.  That said, the Mets would like to have Cespedes back and they’re willing to wait him out this offseason, perhaps if Cespedes is open to accepting another front-loaded contract with an opt-out clause from the team.
  • Despite a slow start and seven weeks on the DL with an inner-ear problem, Stephen Drew still hit an impressive .266/.339/.524 over 165 PA with the Nationals in 2016.  Between Drew’s performance and good clubhouse presence, MASNsports.com’s Mark Zuckerman believes there could be mutual interest between Drew and the Nats for a new contract.  Drew’s future in D.C. could hinge on how the Nationals plan to use Trea Turner next year, as if Turner is moved to short, Danny Espinosa could be kept over Drew as the backup infielder.
  • In response to a reader’s mailbag question, MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki said he wouldn’t be surprised if the Phillies explored trading Vince Velasquez again this winter, given that the club seems “willing to consider anything” in their rebuilding process.  Velasquez spent some time on the DL with a right biceps strain but otherwise enjoyed a successful first year in Philadelphia, posting a 4.12 ERA, 10.4 K/9 and 3.38 K/BB rate over 131 innings.  The Rangers inquired about Velasquez at the trade deadline but the Phils put a high price tag on the 24-year-old righty.  You’d have to expect the Phillies would again require a huge offer to consider moving a young, talented arm.
  • The Marlins may have to be creative to address their pitching needs this offseason, and MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro suggests that Miami could be one of many teams looking to develop their own version of a multi-role reliever like Andrew Miller.  David Phelps, Justin Nicolino, Jose Urena, Nick Wittgren or Austin Brice are current Marlins who could be adapted into such a role, though Nicolino and Urena may yet catch on as starting pitchers.
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