Right-hander Vince Velasquez’s Saturday start was his final outing of 2016, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Matt Breen, who tweets that the Phillies will shut him down for the rest of the season. Velasquez made his last showing of the year count, going seven innings and allowing two earned runs with eight strikeouts and no walks in a 6-4 loss to the Braves.
The fact that the Phillies are putting an early end to the prized 24-year-old’s campaign comes as no surprise after manager Pete Mackanin revealed last week that it would happen in the near future. It turns out the time is now for Velasquez, who amassed a personal-high 131 innings of 4.12 ERA ball in his first full major league season. Velasquez also struck out 10.44 batters per nine innings, putting him in a seventh-place tie among starters who have tossed at least 120 innings, against a respectable walk rate of 3.09. Moreover, he induced infield fly balls at a 13.0 percent rate, good for a top 15 mark among starters.
Velasquez’s 2016 wasn’t without storm clouds, as he went on the disabled list in June with a right biceps strain and then, after his return, dealt with trade rumors in July. No deal came to fruition, but switching organizations wouldn’t have been anything new for Velasquez, whom the Phillies acquired from the Astros last offseason. Velasquez headlined the package Houston sent to Philadelphia for shutdown reliever Ken Giles, and it’s fair to say the rebuilding Phillies made out well in Velasquez’s first year with the club.
Bright future
good Move , Save Jewels for the seasons beyond !
You have to figure Eickhoff and Thompson will be shut down soon as well. Eickhoff has already passed his career high in IP and Thompson is 3 IP away from tying his career high. Put Buchanan and Asher in the rotation and you’ll be in position for a better draft pick next year.
Eickhoff is not on a limit. He will pitch out the rest of the season.
Last year, including playoffs, Thompson went 148.2 innings. After today he’s at 162.2. He might get another start, probably not two.
Eickhoff pitched 184.1 innings last year and has pitched 161.2 this year. He has 6 starts left, so he should go above his career high but not by enough to be an issue.
Good pitcher. When the long balls are under control, he will be a force.
Phil Klein was International League Player of the Month for August, has logged 85 innings for the season and is already on the 40 man roster. I would be shocked if he is not recalled following the AAA playoffs. for 2-3 starts.
I disagree that he was headlining the package that the Phillies received from Houston. He’s been the brightest spot so far though.
Smart move to shut him down. Good season to build off.
So then it’s 150, then 180, then 200? Basically when he’s eligible for arbitration he’ll be “a real pitcher”?