The Reds announced today that right-handed pitcher Vladimir Gutierrez has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to right forearm soreness, retroactive to June 4. Fellow righty Jared Solomon has been recalled in a corresponding move.
Gutierrez was a high-profile international signing with the Reds giving him a $4.75MM bonus in September 2016. He made his MLB debut last year and posted serviceable results, making 22 starts with a 4.74 ERA. However, the underlying numbers weren’t as exciting, as he posted a strikeout rate of 17.7%, walk rate of 9.3% and ground ball rate of 43.4%. Unfortunately, things got worse this year, as he currently has an ERA of 7.61 through 36 2/3 innings, with a 16.2% strikeout rate, 13.4% walk rate and 33.6% ground ball rate.
After eight starts, he was bumped from the rotation and made two relief appearances before today’s IL placement. Luis Castillo and Mike Minor both spent time on the IL to start the year but are healthy now, joining Tyler Mahle as the veterans in the rotation. With rookies Hunter Greene and Graham Ashcraft putting up better results than Gutierrez, it seems he’ll have to fight his way back into the mix once he’s healthy again.
The club hasn’t provided any timeline about his recovery process, though it’s always worrisome when a pitcher has an injury to their throwing arm. He’ll join Justin Dunn, Nick Lodolo and Connor Overton as starting candidates currently on the injured list. The Reds are 18-34, the worst record in the National League and better than just the Royals across the majors. With Minor, Castillo and Mahle all candidates to be moved at this year’s trade deadline, that could open up opportunities for whichever starters prove themselves worthy of a late-season audition.
I’ve been following the Reds since 1968 and I can’t recall so many pitchers injured. Are they not conditioning properly? Are front offices being overly cautious?
One thing to remember is that they didn’t have a full spring training to get stretched out. That probably is a lot of the issue
Pitchers are being taught to throw every pitch with maximum effort. Teams now they can only last a short amount of time (one inning for a reliever, 4-5 innings for a starter) when they pitch at maximum effort. At max effort, the pitches can get really nasty — high velocity, high spin. But max effort also puts a lot of strain on the body. And that’s why you’re seeing more injuries.
Good take, but It’s not just the pitchers and it’s not just this year. The last 5-10 years of Reds injuries are well beyond just bad luck! There is a real problem here and it needs fixed.
In 1968 pitchers pitched with sore arms. If it was still attached, they pitched. Don Gullet could have gotten Tommy John before Tommy John got Tommy John. Then we’d all be calling it Don Gullett surgery.
Point made, except Gullett’s issues were with his shoulder – and we’re still wishing we had a Gary Nolan surgery for rotator cuffs as well…
My bet is that he was placed on the IL with “weneedtogetridofyoufornow-itis” It is a lot easier for the player’s ego to say he has “soreness” than to send him to the minors and shatter his confidence even more than his slump already has.
I’d agree but still rolling with warren and Strickland..
Place your bets. Which current Cincinnati Red will have a World Series ring in 2022. My money is on Castillo with the Yankees.