Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo revealed to reporters today that closer Paul Sewald has a Grade 2 left oblique strain and will start the season on the injured list. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic and Alex Weiner of AZ Sports relayed the news.
Lovullo didn’t provide a specific timeline for Sewald’s expected absence. All players and injuries are different, but just for a frame of reference, Royce Lewis suffered a Grade 2 oblique strain last year and the Twins provided a timeline of six weeks. Lewis was on the IL from July 2 until August 15, roughly in line with that six-week estimate.
The news is obviously not good for the Snakes, as Sewald is a key member of their bullpen. Acquired from the Mariners at the deadline last year, he saved 13 games for the Diamondbacks down the stretch while posting a 3.57 earned run average. He then added another six saves in the playoffs as the D’Backs went all the way to the World Series.
He had a surprising breakout with the Mariners in 2021 at the age of 31 and has spent the past three years as one of the better relievers in baseball. Since the start of 2021, he has tossed 189 1/3 innings with a 2.95 ERA. He struck out 33.9% of batters faced in that time while walking 8.6% of them. He gradually earned more save situations over that stretch, notching 11 of them in 2021, then 20 the year after and 34 last year.
Needless to say, no club wants to lose its best reliever for any amount of time, but the D’Backs will now have to proceed without Sewald until he can work his way back to the club. In the meantime, they will have to figure out how to close down games without him. Kevin Ginkel, Scott McGough, Miguel Castro and Ryan Thompson are some of the club’s best relievers though no one in that group has more than 14 career saves.
Anybody see the sponsored post? Guess they have to make money somehow.
As far as this actual news that’s a big loss. Miguel Castro needs to step up but it’s not a strong bullpen without Sewald.
My sponsored posts are Hawaiian shirts.
me too, my sponsored posts tonight are Sculpin IPA.
That is a significant blow for the snakes.
Instead of spending time with snakes, he will spend it with dolphins. Sewald to Sea world
Seawald was the addition last year that converted the bullpen from a liability to a strong asset. None of the other relievers were ready to take the role of closer, but Seawald’s addition dropped all the others into their natural slots in the bullpen.
A new year, with another year of experience under their belts, will the bullpen once again become a liability without Seawald?
I’m thinking no. Particularly, Kevin Ginkel now has that aura of an unflapable, lock down closer. I think the Dbacks can weather this storm.
True or False: Most oblique strains in baseball are due to the player not being in proper athletic condition.
False.
False times two.
True or False: Most oblique strains in baseball are caused by a player not properly warming up or properly cooling down after athletic exertion.
Could be somewhat true. I think most are caused by players lifting weights and not doing enough conditioning training.
false:
Causes of an oblique strain
Accidents like car wrecks or falls.
Chronic sneezing or coughing.
Excessive or intense exercise.
Lifting something heavy.
Bad form while exercising or playing sports.
Sudden movements involving your core, like twisting.
another former met that killing it after they left..
Castro sucks.