The Blue Jays announced they’ve reinstated right-hander Patrick Murphy from the 60-day injured list. Reliever Carl Edwards Jr. was placed on the 10-day IL with a left oblique strain. Fellow reliever Travis Bergen was activated from the 10-day IL and optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. Toronto had a vacancy on the 40-man roster, so no additional move was required to accommodate Murphy’s reinstatement.
Murphy will step right into the Jays MLB bullpen. The 26-year-old made a brief major league debut last season, tossing six innings over four appearances. In that time, he flashed a sinker that averaged just under 97 MPH and a mid-80s power curveball. A former third-round pick, Murphy has long been considered one of the more interesting pitching prospects in the Toronto system. Unfortunately, he’s been delayed by a series of injuries, including a Tommy John procedure and surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome.
Despite the health woes, Murphy’s stuff and track record of acceptable of strike-throwing in the minors has continued to intrigue evaluators. He entered this year among the top 30 prospects in the organization according to each of Baseball America, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs and Keith Law of the Athletic. Another injury- this time a sprained AC joint in his shoulder- had kept Murphy from pitching this season until today’s activation.
Edwards left last night’s game against the Yankees after facing just one hitter. Signed to a minor league deal last month, Edwards has made six appearances since being selected to the 40-man roster. He’s since allowed four runs in 5 1/3 innings, striking out five while issuing a pair of walks.
at some point someone has to look at the mechanics of the pitchers and figure out where all these injuries are coming from right?
Isn’t that known? It’s full effort pitches that’s the cause.
Too much muscle
When you look at the stats for the years 1960 – 1990 you see only a few thoracic outlet syndrome cases in 30 years. Then you see a huge spike in cases from 1990 – 2021.
What changed?
Before 1990 pitchers pitched full games and threw as hard as today.
Americans now use the cell phone and other technologies OFF THE FIELD 11.5 hours per day , This leads to muscle tension around the neck and shoulders.
When a pitcher has stiff muscles from using the cell phone too much the muscle tension is actually a contracted muscle. The extreme flexibility of a pitching motion causes the stiff scalenes and shoulder muscles to pull bones into the outlet
So, the majority of the hundreds of patients I have treated for thoracic outlet syndrome have as their bad habit postures that cause contracted (stiff) muscles that move structures into the outlet.
Its not a pitching motion but a bad habit they have outside the game that effects those who stretch the arm and shoulder to the extreme while muscles limit this motion pulling ribs where they dont belong.
My book explains all this.
I dont know if there’s one solution to this problem. It’s a mix of things like what some people have already said (max effort, too much muscle), but also things like pitching since little league, increasing velocities, harder and shaper breaking pitches at an earlier age, and probably a handful of other things.
Many pitchers topping 250 innings back in the day pitched since little league, threw curves in little league and sometimes played catcher and pitcher in the same game, same tournament, or did one then the other on back to back days.
Max effort is one reason. Plenty more, but we can’t go to each pitcher and assess the reason is based on how they were used as children.
Well, I think it’s more of they play more when they were younger. Today, you can send your kid to not just normal summer league, but winter camps/clinics, and fall leagues. Now imagine that they keepn doing that all year around until they’re 25.
Back in those days, most players barely got paid enough to make a liveable wage playing baseball. While ovbisously they stayed In shape, they didn’t have the work out regimens, or go play in the Dominican Winter League like they do now. Many had off-season jobs.
Those days you mean the 70s and 80s where pitchers topped 250+ innings and made quite a lot of money? Exactly where are you trying to go with this? If it’s to save yourself from your first comment, you didn’t accomplish that.
You do not have any idea whether kids today are used more than they were 30 years ago. An argument can be made that some are protected more today and that has lead to injury. And protected on club teams by being banned from pitching in high school games, and vice versa. I know former college pitchers were banned from pitching for their club teams in the summer if they went back home.
Its actually bad habits of overuse of technologies that cause stiffness in the neck and shoulder off the field combined with the extreme range of motion that pulls ribs into the outlet and drags the shoulder into the outlet
Fingers crossed… Murphy, Merryweather, Borucki to the rescue
Kinda off topic but i was one of the clowns that called for Vladdy to be traded this past offseason while he still had value, pretty dumb. Now im wondering whats the best defense when Springer returns.
Ive been thinking
Springer CF
Hernandez LF
Grichuk RF
Gurriel 1st
Vladdy 3rd
Im curious what others are thinking, i understand if ppl think dont mess with vlad keep him at first, then its Biggio or Gurriel at 3rd IMO
Don’t touch Vlad, he’s taken to first base, leave him be.
Grichuk (if he’s hitting ) in RF, Teo/gurriel split LF and DH
When/if grichuk regresses to his norm, he comes out of the lineup and the DH spot goes to a favourable match up
I’d keep Vlad at 1st, and put Biggio at 3rd. LF could kind of alternate between Gurriel and Teoscar, with the latter moving to RF if Springer needs a day off (making Grichuk shift to CF for those games.) If it’s Grichuk having a night off have Teoscar head to RF.
Optimal line up by position as I see it would be:
C – Kirk
1B – Vlad
2B – Semien
3B – Biggio
SS – Bichette
LF – Gurriel/Hernandez
CF – Springer
RF – Grichuk
DH – Gurriel/Hernandez (or one of the middle infielders if they need a night off; plug Panik into their spot.)
No Rowdy? He’s coming on nicely the last few weeks. Although I suppose you’re right. I don’t know where he would fit.
Yea OFs will all need to DH, but in a must win game what would your lineup be.
It comes down to Biggio, Grichuk and Gurriel for 2 spots.
Murph, it’s ok. But let’s put Vlad in-perspective; he wasn’t good at 1B until this year. His hitting has taken off this year (really taken off). What is the commonality? His weight loss. Why can’t he play 3B? What, is he going to stop hitting if he’s moved to a position he WANTS to play? Biggio is not good enough for third. Play Vlad there.
Nothing to lose with your idea.
Commonality is his preparation. He wasn’t good at 1b, yes with the weight but also because he only had spring training to prepare.
No sense in asking him to move to a position he didn’t prepare for this year in 3B. It he wants to move back there next year then fine whatever.
If you are correct, that means Vlad deserves another shot at 3B. Why? You said preparation. Now you are saying Vlad isn’t going to prepare to play 3B somehow? If he can prepare to play 1B there is no reason he cannot do the same at 3B with his slimmed down body and major league experience.
It makes sense to move him there if the Jays aren’t prepared to acquire a 3B or decide to play Panik there. The current options aren’t strong enough defensively which is why Murphy mentioned the idea that you quickly shot down, and it should be considered because the current options keep that door wide open.
Yea see both sides with vlad. I realy dont like Gurriel in the OF, has crazy arm but not much else. Im a hugh Biggo fan but im not sold on him as 3b, i like 2b then OF for him personally.
Ghricuk has power but slid back to normal aswell. Hernandez is real so if he and Springer are out there then Gurriel, Vlad, Biggio and Grichuk have 3b, 1b and OF corner between the 3.
The jays have a ton of infield talent on the cusp of mlb that can play 3rd and SS. Keep Vlad at 1B, swap bo and Sim, alternate Biggio and Santiago at 3rd. Trade Tellez. Keep Gurriel in left… don’t mess with whats working and all those assists.
Why we swapping Bo out of SS for a 1 year rental?
JaysforDays the team does not have a viable 3B in the minor league system that is close to the majors. Groshans is a poor defender at all positions and is 2 years away.
Vlad jr belongs at 1B period.
Alford is the next Moseby – Jimmer.
Vlad can’t be worse than Panik and Biggio.