Giants right-hander Jeff Samardzija exited Tuesday’s start after just one inning due to tightness in his right shoulder, writes Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. Any shoulder trouble for a pitcher, of course, is concerning to an extent, but Samardzija’s early exit comes with extra cause for worry given that his fastball was sitting at 91 mph on Tuesday, per Pavlovic. Samardzija’s velocity has been down, in general, early this season, but he’d previously averaged 92.4 mph. The injury to Samardzija is the latest blow to a Giants rotation that has yet to receive a single inning from Madison Bumgarner this season and also lost Johnny Cueto for an extended period earlier this month. In 35 2/3 innings this season, Samardzija has lumped to a 6.56 ERA with 6.6 K/9, 5.8 BB/9, 1.51 HR/9 and a 33.9 percent ground-ball rate.
Some more injury updates from around baseball…
- Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters tonight that the team has placed left-handers Francisco Liriano and Daniel Stumpf on the disabled list due to a right hamstring strain and ulnar nerve irritation, respectively (Twitter links via Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press). It’s not clear exactly how long either is expected to miss, though the move will send one of the team’s top trade chips shelf (Liriano) while leaving Gardenhire without a left-handed option in the bullpen. Ryan Carpenter is coming up to join the team’s rotation for the time being, per MLB.com’s Jason Beck (on Twitter), while right-hander Johnny Barbato will be added to the bullpen.
- A.J. Pollock’s fractured thumb has not yet fully healed, D-backs skipper Torey Lovullo told reporters (Twitter link via Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic). That didn’t come as a surprise to the organization, per Lovullo, who said that Pollock’s progress is “exactly where we thought it would be.” As Piecoro indicates, the latest update suggests that Pollock’s return won’t come on the short end of his originally projected timetable of four to eight weeks. The short end of that timeline would’ve lined up Pollock for a return in mid-June, but the eight-week timeline would extend his absence closer to the All-Star break.
- The Dodgers pulled Kenta Maeda from tonight’s start in the second inning due to a right hip strain, tweets Alanna Rizzo of SportsNetLA. The Dodgers trainers checked on Maeda on two separate occasions in the second frame, and he was pulled on the trainer’s second trip to the mound. Los Angeles is already without Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu, each of whom is on the disabled list, though Kershaw is likely to return this week. Maeda, who owns a 3.61 ERA and a 68-to-18 K/BB ratio in 52 1/3 frames this season, would represent another costly loss at a time when L.A. was hoping to see its rotation begin inching toward better health with the return of Kershaw.
- Steven Matz exited tonight’s start with discomfort in his left middle finger, though the Mets said that x-rays have already ruled out a broken bone, per Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. The injury occurred when swinging in his latest at-bat, and Matz is headed for an MRI for further evaluation, tweets Tim Britton of The Athletic. The Mets already lost Noah Syndergaard to the DL earlier today, so even a brief absence for Matz would be all the more problematic. On the plus side for the Mets, right-hander Anthony Swarzak made a rehab appearance in Triple-A Las Vegas tonight and threw a scoreless inning with two strikeouts and one hit allowed.
Jeff Samardja breaking that bat over his knee was the best thing he’s done since 2014
Samardzija’s contract is a mess
I’ve scratched my head for years figuring out why this guy is so revered, publicized, and well-paid. The only thing he excels at is bringing back far more then he produces when he’s traded.
His main accomplishments have been fighting in baseball brawls. However as a pitcher that helps his team win games……
This injury notwithstanding, Samardzija has always been liked because some teams just assume they can harness the stuff and his arm wasn’t abused as much as most pitchers his age, as he mostly played football. But other than that, the results have rarely ever matched up to the stuff, and the injury problems might make the durability less of a factor too.
Baseball purest can say what they want but the DH has to come to the NL. Today’s Pitchers are too delicate, not to mention valuable and hardly ever take BP (mostly to practice bunting). All throughout the minors they play with the DH. I love baseball and the NL but it’s time to just implement the DH. Waay too many injuries swinging, running and getting hit by pitches.
Mets pitchers will still find a way to get injured. Matz has lived on the DL, yet he gets a minor injury while hitting and that’s the breaking point to implenting the DH?
You guys don’t get what I’m saying, it’s not just about the Mets. Yeah Matz always gets hurt that’s not news. I grew up loving the NL and pitchers hitting but in these times the game has changed. Now these pitchers make a lot of money and are pampered from the time they’re drafted til they reach the majors. They start out on low pitch counts from A ball and they hardly ever pick up bats in minor league games.(MLB teams basically got rid of pitchers hitting in the minors for fear they would get hurt) Now all of the sudden they have to face major league pitching. It’s ridiculous and has gotten embarrassing when pitchers are going down for finger “discomfort”. Pitchers should hit that’s how I was raised but this new generation of pitchers can’t do it. Waay too delicate.
What should be ridiculous and embarrassing is the presumed neglect of a major part of the game. That’s like not teaching punters how to tackle. They won’t be the first ones down the field, but in many cases they are the last line of defense saving a TD. NL pitchers are one-ninth of the offense. I grew up seeing Maddux and Glavine as the kings of the sacrifice, pushing guys over or having a long AB to toil away at the pitcher, pushing them closer to the their presumed innings cap. If pitchers can’t hit, they should go to the AL or move to the bullpen – no reason it has to be an auto-out.
NL teams have their pitchers hit when they play NL teams in Double-A or Triple-A.
There is a bigger issue….
With all the statistics, computerized help aides, nutritional guides, and medical advancements, why do injuries continue to set all-time highs each year for decades now?
And I’m not just talking MLB – the other 3 major sports as well.
Hey IUO-it is about the Mets. The past three seasons (including 2018) they continue to lead baseball with injured players in the DL.
They need to change the HVAC filters in the clubhouse. Matz caught his injury from Noah. It’s spreading across the clubhouse now.
Perhaps Cespedes will have a new venue for more time off as he continues to hone his putting skills.
Pitchers in baseball history have never been able to hit; this isn’t a new thing. I know you’re going to drop some anecdotal evidence about one or two guys or bring up Babe Ruth, so you can stop there – the reason why we remember “good” hitting pitchers is because there are so few of them. It’s not a self-selecting skill and there literally aren’t enough hours in a day to teach them how to hit even capably while also keeping their pitching skills sharp. And have you watched a punter tackle someone? They’re terrible at it.
Greg Maddux career batting line: 171/191/205. 34 BBs, 419 Ks, and 180 bunts. He was terrible.
Tom Glavine career batting line: 186/244/210. He knew how to take a walk and led the league in sacrifices a few time. 1 career home run 101 BBs, 290 Ks. Watching guys like that hit isn’t really my idea of fun.
I still think tossing the Wilpons into that volcano isn’t a bad idea. Adopting the DH to the NL? Bad idea. Been a fan since ’65 Mets. I’ve seen bad players. Players get hurt. Why so many pitcher injuries nowadays? Who knows.
I grew up watching great pitching in the 60s & 70s. I hate the DH but the AL is the perfect place for it. They are after all the Junior circuit.
amen
Pitchers hitting is like having a kicker play Quarterback in football, it makes no sense. Years ago football players played both ways like Rugby.
IUO…Position player get hurt almost daily when fielding, running, throwing or hitting. Why? Because the play all aspects of the game and stuff happens. Pitchers should do the same. Teach kids from the youngest possible leagues on up to play a rounded game. The DH stinks and always has.
Agreed, I’m a firm believer in just getting rid of the DH all together.
1.) ALL starting position players would be forced to be able to adequately field at least one defensive position.
1a.) Unlike the NL teams, AL teams can afford to take more gambles, in the draft or free agency, on quality hitters, that don’t clearly have an identified defensive position..It is a clear advantage for AL teams.
1b.) Also, look at what Schwarber had to do, in order to stay in the Cubs everyday line-up. He was forced to lose weight, and had to diligently practice and hone his defensive craft..If he was on an AL team, he could have simply just stayed fairly out of shape and hit as their DH. LAME!!
2.) ALL starting pitchers would be forced to devote more time to bunting and hitting.
2a.) Unlike the pitchers in the AL, that get to spend the totality of their time solely practicing pitching and fielding their position.
3.) With more interleague play, NL teams are at an immediatw disadvantage against AL teams.
3a.) NL teams cannot afford to have a positionless hitter on their 25 man roster, yet they are forced to face AL teams, in games that impact the NL playoff race..
Again, the DH is weak, if you really want to protect pitchers from getting injured running the bases, then have pinch runners for pitchers, if they get on base…It’s that simple, but the DH is a cop out..It keeps pitchers from having to focus on hitting, and it allows positionless hitters a pass by not having to play defense. It promotes that it is okay to not have an all-around game…
Rant Over..lol
bravesfan88……Wanna hear a sad stat about the shape of today’s game?
“There were 6,656 strikeouts and 6,360 hits in April, according to Elias. The previous low differential was in April 2017, when there were 138 more hits than strikeouts. Through Saturday, there were 5,882 strikeouts and 5,742 hits in May.” chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/ct-spt-mlb-atte…
Think about that. It’s never happened before in history. Never has there been more K’s than hits for a full month and now it will be two months in a row!
The mindset is power…power arms, power bats. When a team puts a shift on do hitters try and go the other way? Nope, they just swing away and hope. Contact and bat control are afterthoughts.
I’ll stop there, I am too tired to rant and I could go on and on.
Funny stuff indeed. My favorite comeback to all who kick on the DH? it’s been a part of the AL for “45” years and you think the oh so precious MLB player’s union is going to give up jobs for the veteran ball players that are generally DH’s?
Dream on some more while in fantasy land..
You said it right there my friend all pitchers “should” but they don’t. In the minors all teams “can” have their pitchers hit but practically all minor league teams implement the DH now. So if they hardly ever get to practice hitting this new generation of pitchers are getting to the majors at a disadvantage and are more prone to injury.
For a sport that prides itself on finding “market inefficiencies” maybe go find a few pitchers who can hit, huh?
There is no law against pitchers learning to hit. The problem isn’t with the game, it’s with the development system. Don’t ruin the game, fix the development system.
No it does not have to come to the NL! You have no sense, if you truly believe that foolishness.
If you really love baseball you wouldn’t say that. Ever.
If MLB adopted the DH when it was first proposed in the 1920s and that’s what baseball has always been to the past several generations, how many people would want the rules changed to force pitchers to hit?
I agree! If for no other reason , than at least make the rules the same in both leagues!
Giants tank in full effect
I hate the DH.It was brought into existence because of poor attendance in the AL.There is very little strategy with it;the game is one dimensional.The manager’s main job is when to make a pitching change.Maybe there would be LESS injuries to pitchers if they had to bat.example:facing a lineup without a DH would reduce the amount of pitches thrown..I for one enjoy the strategy of pre DH baseball.Today’s game stresses too much on power and strikeouts.I wish that the DH was a thing of the past.
Hey Met Man-the DH is not the cause of the current problem of emphasis on HR that is causing averages to drop and K’s to rise.
The culprit is the shift defenses. Let’s go back to having 3B men play 3B and not up the middle.
This has also impacted pitching which is now one reliever to the next to power pitch for a few innings. We’ve lost a sense of pitchers that throw a good game.
We’ve lost our sense of sanity that wounds the most basic joys of the sport like scoring the game, which is impossible to do any longer as it does not reflect the plays.
Ok—genius Joe Madden won his World Series. However it’s time to install some sensibility with a paint zone around each position player.
Mikeyank55,what I’m saying is that if there wasn’t a DH,pitchers would be facing an opposing pitcher instead of another potent batter.Less pitches would be thrown(most pitchers aren’t great hitters)and more strategy would be in play.
I don’t care either way. I like the DH I like pitchers batting, it just needs to be the same in each league.
The Giants were in love with his durability and control. Last year he was ok, not great. It was obvious the Giants allowed him to come back much too soon. He was bad all year. This is a team stuck in the middle. Let’s start selling.
Agreed, but outside of Bumgarner and Posey, who would teams even want? Crawford and Belt have no trade clauses, and everyone else is bad and overpaid.
Longoria is hitting and likely to be moved. but ya, g-men are pretty screwed.
I wouldn’t say Longo is likely to be moved, have you seen how many years are left on his deal?
Belt’s no-trade is limited to 10 teams and Crawford’s is a full no-trade, as is Posey’s. Bumgarner’s no-trade is limited to 8 teams. Longoria has no value with that contract and his lack of performance this year. Maybe somebody wants Hunter Strickland?
Dennis Santana might be making his major leauge debut in place of meadas next strat twitter.com/DennisSantanaRD/status/100176146146156…
I don’t think Francisco Liriano is acquired as a trade chip exclusively. The Tigers need innings from someone while they develop the team and can’t simply lose every game in the process. That gets into people’s heads. Of course, if the price is right, Liriano is a trade candidate. As far as Tiger mid season trades: I think Shane Green is the likeliest of players to be traded while the Tigers’ greatest hope is to unload Miguel Cabrera (its mutual).
Id like to see you stand in front of Aaron Judge or Mike Stanton
and hear you call them wimps
and sissies ! You would find out how much of a tough guy that you aren’t Sluman ! LoL
Best pitcher in all of baseball…. For hitters.
Why does the shark get paid ? Crawford is one cheeseburger away from playing third.