The Twins announced Tuesday that they’ve placed right-hander Chris Paddack on the injured list with shoulder fatigue. Right-hander Ronny Henriquez has been recalled from Triple-A St. Paul in his place. Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets that Paddack informed the team after his most recent start that he’s been experiencing a dead arm recently.
Some fatigue for Paddack should come as little surprise. The 28-year-old righty pitched only 18 1/3 innings last year (minors and postseason included) in his return from 2022 Tommy John surgery — a procedure that limited him to just 22 1/3 frames that season. He’s already surpassed his combined 2022-23 innings total with this year’s 78 1/3 frames.
It’s been an up-and-down season for Paddack in his first full year since his second career Tommy John surgery. Overall, his 5.29 ERA looks rather grim, but that number is heavily skewed by two disastrous outings: a nine-run drubbing in Baltimore during his third start of the season and a seven-run showing at Yankee Stadium earlier this month. On the other end of the spectrum, Paddack has a pair of 10-strikeout gems this season. He’s been a boom-or-bust option for manager Rocco Baldelli throughout the year, but Paddack will take a seat for at least the next two weeks after yielding a combined eight runs in his past seven innings of work across two starts (both of which came against a lackluster Oakland lineup).
With Paddack on the shelf, the Twins will have an opening in the fifth spot of the rotation behind Pablo Lopez, Joe Ryan, Bailey Ober and Simeon Woods Richardson. Paddack’s spot is set to come up on Thursday, though the Twins just had an off-day, which could allow them to start Ober on regular rest that day. St. Paul righties Caleb Boushley and Randy Dobnak would also be on full rest (Dobnak would need to be added to the 40-man roster) if the Twins want to give Ober an extra day after throwing a complete game his last time out.
Other depth options like Louie Varland and top prospect David Festa both pitched within the past couple days, likely ruling them out for Thursday — but either could be an option for subsequent starts, depending on how long Paddack is out. There’s no timetable for Paddack’s return at present, though the lack of a strain or any other notable injury doesn’t create immediate concern of a protracted absence. The right-hander is in the second season of a three-year, $12.5MM extension he signed while rehabbing from that Tommy John procedure. That deal bought out Paddack’s final two arbitration seasons as well as his first free-agent year.
It was a big mistake trading for him”
It’s funny that Rooker, seen as a throw in at the time, ended up being the best piece in that trade
I was just thinking that. So of course San Diego traded him for Cam Gallagher to be an emergency Catcher at AAA. At least Rodgers fetched them Josh Hader.
He barely threw any inning the past two years so he was always going to need a break or two this season. Hopefully Varland or Festa can claim the 5th spot and push Paddack to the pen. Pls no Dobnak. Been waiting for Henriquez to get his chance. Always liked his stuff
Can we call up Festa already?
Take out 2019 and 2020 and it tells a very different story. ERA is over 5, FIP is under 4. But his ERA+ is garbage and his whip is 1.322.
Paddack was such a beast when he debuted His 1st 9 GS:
51.1 IP, 28 H, 1.93 era with a line against of .156/.217/.257 (.474 OPS).
Now over his entire career opponents have hit .253/.293/.432 off him. Basically ended up being a replacement level pitcher.
One of the most overhyped pitchers of the past 5 years, and those stats tell the tale.
Padack’s 4.12 FIP from June 4, 2019 (his 11th career start) to today is better than the 4.32 MLB average over the same period..Better than average is definitely not replacement level.
His 4.60 ERA over from June 4, 2019 to today is higher than the 4.45 MLB average over that time frame, but not by much. Definitely not replacement level
He is a back of the rotation starter. Its what he has always been.
calling him a replacement level pitcher had everything to do with his career 2.1 bWAR and figuring those amazing 51 innings to start his career had to have easily been worth 1 bWAR and likely more leaving not a whole lot left since then.
Hasn’t been good nor healthy, not a great combo.
Replacement level is 0.0 bWAR so anything above that means better than replacement level by definition.
His WAR after the May 20th 2019 game was 0.4 bWAR
WAR is a counting stat. the more your play, the higher your possible WAR.
I agree Paddack is a 5th spot in the rotation kind of guy. If ya got a decent lineup where he doesn’t have to try to be great, he’d be fine. I’d say you are probably better off putting young talent in that spot, it’s a better long term move. Let the prospects get a cup of coffee and see what you got. Boston and Kansas City have holes, they aren’t going to blow past Minnesota in the standings. Houston and Texas are coming, they might pull a 2nd half run idk, if I was the Twins they’d be my biggest concern.
forget Varland – at least as a starter. he’s fine as a reliever. he just needs to decide that for himself. stats don’t lie, Louie.
forget Dobnak. been there, done that.
time for Festa.
Let’s go, Randy Dobnak. Earn your way back into the rotation, You can do it,
Win 10 in the rest of the season!
Varland needs to go to the bullpen. Give Festa a few spot starts, he’s earned it in AAA.