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MLBTR Poll: Braves’ Fifth Starter

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The Braves have opened their 2023 season facing a great deal of uncertainty in the rotation. The club went into camp with a battle for the fifth spot in the rotation, expecting Bryce Elder, Ian Anderson, and Michael Soroka to be the favorites for the role. That didn’t come to pass, however, as Soroka was slowed early in camp while both Anderson and Elder struggled, opening the door for Jared Shuster and Dylan Dodd to elevate themselves on the organizational depth chart with strong springs. MLBTR held a poll toward the end of Spring Training regarding which of the two young lefties should start the regular season in the rotation, which Shuster won with 68.56% of the vote.

Ultimately, the Braves were never forced to make a decision between Dodd and Shuster for the fifth spot, as Kyle Wright began the season on the injured list, allowing both lefties to open the season in the rotation. Since that time, the rotation picture in Atlanta has gotten far more hectic. Club ace Max Fried went on the injured list with a hamstring injury, while Anderson went on the IL in the minors due to elbow issues, leaving Elder to join the rotation in Fried’s stead. Meanwhile, both Shuster and Dodd have struggled to open the season.

With Wright expected to make his first start of the season on Tuesday and Fried expected to miss roughly the fifteen day minimum, the Braves find themselves once again forced to make a decision on who their fifth starter should be once the front four of Fried, Wright, Spencer Strider, and Charlie Morton are all healthy and starting every fifth day. With Soroka still not fully ramped up, it appears the options for the club’s fifth rotation spot are Dodd, Shuster, and Elder, each of whom have made at least one start for the club this season.

Shuster appears to be the least likely of the three options. The 24-year old lefty has made two starts for Atlanta so far this season, but has struggled in both. In his major league debut, Shuster allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings against the Nationals, allowing six hits and 5 walks while striking out just one. His second start was worryingly similar to his first, albeit against a much more threatening Padres team than the lowly Nats: four runs in four innings of work on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts.

While Shuster impressed with a 1.74 ERA in 20 2/3 innings of work this spring, he’s appeared over-matched two starts into his big league career, and it seems safe to assume that the Braves will allow him time in Triple-A to right the ship before returning him to the big league rotation, barring further injuries to the big league club.

Dodd has a stronger case for a longer leash in the rotation than Shuster, having impressed in his MLB debut by holding a loaded Cardinals lineup to just one run over five innings of work, striking out three while walking none. Dodd’s first start of the season showed the same promise as his spring performance, where he posted a 2.00 ERA in 18 innings of work, striking out 20 while walking just four. Unfortunately, Dodd’s second start was not as successful as his first, as he struggled badly in 4 1/3 innings against the Padres, allowing seven runs on ten hits (two home runs) and a walk while striking out three.

After such a difficult second start, it’s reasonable to wonder if Dodd might also benefit from additional time in Triple-A before becoming a mainstay in the Braves’ rotation. After all, the 24-year old has made just one start in Triple-A, with only 53 innings of experience above High-A in the minor leagues.

That lack of experience seems likely to open the door for Elder as the most likely option to stick in Atlanta as a member of the rotation once Fried returns from the injured list. Though Elder struggled badly in Spring Training surrendering three home runs and five walks in just 11 2/3 innings of work, he dominated the Cardinals for six innings in his first start of the season on Wednesday, allowing no runs on two hits while striking out six over six innings of work. Though his spring problems with the free pass carried over into the regular season as he walked three in his season debut, Elder was able to find success in the big leagues last year in spite of a 10.1% walk rate, posting a 3.17 ERA in 54 innings of work last season.

With Fried set to miss at least another week of action, both Dodd and Elder figure to get at least one more start before the Braves make a decision, to say nothing of the possibility that an injury elsewhere in the rotation or a setback for Fried could delay the decision even further. Barring those outcomes, who should the Braves keep in the rotation going forward? Is Elder’s experience and past success in the big leagues too valuable to pass up, or should the Braves stick with their initial decision and give the fifth spot in the rotation to one of Dodd or Shuster?

(poll link for app users)

Who Should The Braves Keep In The Rotation Once Wright And Fried Return?
Bryce Elder 76.39% (2,961 votes)
Dylan Dodd 14.22% (551 votes)
Jared Shuster 9.39% (364 votes)
Total Votes: 3,876

Rays Notes: Glasnow, Fleming, Walls

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Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times noted yesterday that starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow is making progress in his rehab from an oblique strain he suffered this spring. Glasnow, who’s in the first year of the two-year extension he signed with the Rays last summer, has managed just 6 2/3 innings of work since he underwent Tommy John surgery partway through the 2021 season and hasn’t broken 100 innings in a season since 2018. When he is on the mound, however, he’s among the most dominant starters in the game, with a 2.75 ERA (152 ERA+) in 212 2/3 innings of work since the start of the 2019 season with a phenomenal 36% strikeout rate.

Topkin notes that Glasnow is set to begin throwing off a mound this week, and that the Rays hope he will be built up to 5 innings around the middle of May. That puts him slightly behind the six-to-eight week timeframe that was announced alongside Glasnow’s diagnosis at the end of February, though when he does return he’ll join a rotation of Jeffrey Springs, Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen, and Zach Eflin that has been dominant to open the 2023 season, with those four starters having combined for a 1.29 ERA in their first seven starts of the season.

As phenomenal as that front four has been, there’s more questions surrounding the fifth spot in the rotation, at least until Glasnow returns to solidify it. Lefty Josh Fleming received the first start of the season in that spot, though Kristie Ackert of the Tampa Bay Times notes that he won’t be starting tomorrow’s game against the Red Sox after allowing five runs on ten hits in three innings of work to the Nationals, with the club instead set to give the ball of lefty Jalen Beeks as an opener, taking advantage of the club’s well-rested bullpen. Beeks, who had a 2.80 ERA in 61 innings last year, made seven starts for the club in 2022. That being said, the lefty went longer than two innings just once all season, in a relief appearance that lasted 2 1/3 innings.

While the club appears to be set up well regarding the pitching staff, there’s reason for concern on the other side of the ball, as the day after center fielder Jose Siri went on the injured list with a strained hamstring, it now appears possible that shortstop Taylor Walls may join him. Walls suffered an injury to his elbow on Friday and hasn’t played this weekend, with Ackert noting the club plans to send him for imaging on Monday. If Walls requires a stint on the injured list, Ackert notes that infielder Jonathan Aranda is traveling with the team and will likely step in to take over Walls’s roster spot. Walls struggled with the bat in 2022, slashing a meager .172/.268/.285 in 142 games.

Aranda, who was among the Rays’ top prospects prior to losing rookie eligibility in 2022, struggled in his MLB debut, slashing just .192/.276/.321 in 32 games. Aranda has always torn the cover off the ball in the minor leagues, however, with a career .915 OPS in 111 career games at the Triple-A level. A potential injured list stint for Walls could also open up playing time for Vidal Brujan, who was added to the roster in the wake of Siri’s injury. Brujan was among the top prospects in the sport when he made his debut in 2021, but in 62 games from 2021-2022, the young switch-hitter failed to establish himself at the major league level. Still, he has 223 career steals in the minors and experience in all three outfield spots in addition to third base, second base, and shortstop, leaving him as a valuable utility option should he prove himself capable of hitting in the major leagues.

West Notes: Musgrove, Rodriguez, Phillips, Sborz

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Padres manager Bob Melvin told reporters today (including Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune) that right-hander Joe Musgrove “tweaked” his shoulder in his most recent rehab start, and could have his next rehab start pushed back by a day or two as a consequence of this. Musgrove opened the season on the injured list due to a fractured toe he suffered during Spring Training. In Musgrove’s absence, the club has opted for a six-man rotation with Yu Darvish and Blake Snell being followed by Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Nick Martinez, and Ryan Weathers.

An All Star in 2022, Musgrove has blossomed into a top of the rotation arm since being traded to the Padres ahead of the 2021 season. Over the past two campaigns, Musgrove has posted a 3.06 ERA with a 3.64 FIP while notching 387 strikeouts in 362 1/3 innings of work. Those numbers put him among the more durable starters in the game today in addition to his quality run prevention numbers and above-average strikeout rate. 2023 is the first year of Musgrove’s five-year, $100MM extension that he signed with the club last summer.

More from around MLB’s western divisions…

  • Per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, Angels manager Phil Nevin told reporters today that right-hander Chris Rodriguez suffered a setback in his rehab from shoulder surgery. While Rodriguez is still throwing, but he is stepping away from facing live hitters as the Angels plan to take his rehab process slowly. Rodriguez hasn’t pitched since he made his major league debut in 2021, impressing with a 3.64 ERA and 3.14 FIP in 29 2/3 innings of work. When healthy, Rodriguez figures to be in the mix alongside Griffin Canning and Tucker Davidson for a swing role on the major league pitching staff.
  • Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided some clarity on the club’s preferred bullpen usage yesterday, telling reporters (including Jack Harris of the LA Times) that right-hander Evan Phillips is his preference to hand the ball to in the ninth inning if everyone’s available. That being said, Roberts stopped short of properly anointing Phillips the closer, leaving the door open for Phillips to be used in other roles in certain situations. Teams have moved away from having a designated closer in recent seasons, preferring to try and maximize performance by playing matchups, though given Phillips’s 1.41 ERA in 76 1/3 innings since joining the Dodgers in 2021, it’s no surprise he’s Roberts’s preference for save situations over other back-end options like Brusdar Graterol and Alex Vesia.
  • The Rangers have announced that right-hander Josh Sborz has started a rehab assignment in Triple-A as he looks to return from a sprained ankle that sent him to the injured list to open the season. Sborz struggled badly in 2022 while dealing with elbow issues throughout the season, posting a 6.45 ERA in 22 1/3 innings of work, though his 32% strikeout rate did leave reason for optimism headed into the season. Once healthy, Sborz could factor into the Texas bullpen in a middle relief role currently held by the likes of Ian Kennedy and Taylor Hearn.

NL East Notes: Braves, Mets, Phillies

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Braves manager Brian Snitker provided updates to reporters (including The Athletic’s David O’Brien) on outfielder Michael Harris II and right-hander Collin McHugh, both of whom went on the injured-list recently. Harris, who is struggling with back tightness, is steadily improving, though he wouldn’t be back in games yet even if he was on the active roster. Harris won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2022 after slashing an excellent .297/.339/.514 in 114 games while playing excellent defense in center field, but was injured seven games into the season when he banged his back against the outfield wall making a catch against the Padres last week. The club has relied on Sam Hilliard in center while Harris is on the shelf.

Meanwhile, McHugh went on the injured list with shoulder inflammation on Thursday, but has resumed throwing and expects to be back with the Braves after a minimum 15-day stint on the IL. After a long stint as a swingman for the Astros, McHugh opted out of the shortened 2020 campaign before re-emerging as a dominant reliever for the Rays in 2021. His dominance continued in 2022 with the Braves as he posted a combined 2.09 ERA in 133 1/3 innings of work across those two seasons. When McHugh returns from the IL, he figures to key piece in the back of the Braves’ bullpen alongside A.J. Minter.

More from around the NL East…

  • Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Mets could explore the market for additional catching options following a Omar Narvaez’s recent injury. Top prospect Francisco Alvarez was called up to replace Narvaez on the roster, and the club has expressed confidence in his ability to fill in for the next two months while Narvaez is expected to be out. Nonetheless, Sherman notes that the club is keeping an eye out for upgrades over their current depth options at catcher, Michael Perez and Nick Meyer. Robinson Chirinos and Austin Romine are among the catchers currently unsigned on the free agent market, though the Mets could certainly also explore the trade market if they’re interested in adding catching depth.
  • Despite previous indications that Kody Clemens would take most of the reps at first base following Darick Hall’s thumb surgery, it would appear that the Phillies are now planning on shifting third baseman Alec Bohm over to first base in order to give utilityman Edmundo Sosa a run as the everyday third baseman. As noted by Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer, manager Rob Thomson seems interested in what Sosa can do with an everyday opportunity, telling reporters that “we’re going to see what he’s going to do against right-handed pitching.” Sosa got his first extended playing time with the Cardinals in 2021, posting a solid wRC+ of 104 while covering shortstop in addition to second base, third base, and even center field. He struggled mightily in 2022, however, posting just a 49 wRC+ in 53 games with St. Louis prior to being traded to Philadelphia, where he excelled down the stretch in 59 plate appearances that came primarily against southpaws.

NL Central Notes: Wainwright, Reds, Cubs

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Cardinals manager Oli Marmol provided on update on veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright to reporters (including MLB.com’s John Denton) today. The 41-year old Wainwright opened the season on the injured list after suffering a groin injury during Team USA’s run to the World Baseball Classic finals, but threw a 33-pitch bullpen session on Saturday with another planned for Tuesday. Should that go well, the plan is for Wainwright to advance to either a simulated game or a rehab start in the minors.

That’s good news for the Cardinals, who have struggled in the early going this season thanks in part to the rotation posting a combined 5.93 ERA in 41 innings across the season’s first eight games. Wainwright’s career 3.38 ERA would surely be a breath of fresh air for St. Louis’s beleaguered rotation, and even a repeat of his roughly league average 2022 season would make Wainwright a reliable starter in a rotation with plenty of question marks. Wainwright’s rotation spot is currently occupied by Jake Woodford, who allowed six earned runs on seven hits (three homers) and three walks in four 1/3 innings in his first start of the season.

More injury updates from around the NL Central…

  • The Reds sent right-handers Luke Weaver and Lucas Sims to Triple-A Louisville for a rehab assignment today. Weaver was set to begin the year in the Cincinnati rotation before being sidelined with a strained right flexor tendon, while Sims figured to being one of the top options in the Reds’ bullpen before being sidelined with back spasms. The rehab assignment indicates that both could impact the big league club soon. Weaver’s return would likely push right-hander Luis Cessa from the rotation into the bullpen. Cessa still figures to take at least one more turn through the rotation, however, as he projects to start again on Tuesday against the Braves. Sims has posted a 4.20 ERA (3.37 FIP) in 79 1/3 innings since moving to the bullpen full-time for the 2020 season, while Weaver signed a one-year deal with the club this offseason following a brutal 2022 season where he posted a 6.56 ERA in 35 2/3 innings of work.
  • The Cubs provided a handful of injury updates of their own, as Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic notes. Right fielder Seiya Suzuki and left-hander Brandon Hughes are continuing to progress well in their rehab process in Triple-A, with Suzuki in the lineup at DH for Iowa today while Hughes threw an inning yesterday. Sharma also relayed an update on starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks, who has been out since the middle of last season with a capsular tear in his right shoulder. Hendricks is scheduled to throw a bullpen tomorrow as the Cubs have opted to take his recovery process slowly thanks to the number of depth options they have for the rotation. Adrian Sampson and Javier Assad are among the top depth options behind the current starting five of Marcus Stroman, Jameson Taillon, Justin Steele, Drew Smyly, and Hayden Wesneski.

Injury Notes: Duvall, Marte, Marlins

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Red Sox outfielder Adam Duvall left his game after suffering an apparent wrist injury while making a diving play in center field, as noted by Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. As noted by Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe, Duvall had x-rays done on his wrist, the same one on which he underwent season-ending surgery in 2022, following his exit from today’s game. No results have been announced regarding Duvall’s x-ray. Duvall signed with the club this past offseason on a one-year, $7MM guarantee.

Should Duvall miss significant time, Boston figures to rely on some combination of Raimel Tapia and Jarren Duran in center field, though the heavily left-handed Red Sox could also give Yu Chang additional starts at shortstop, allowing Enrique Hernandez to move from the infield back into center field, where he spent the majority of the past two seasons. Regardless of who ultimately replaces Duvall in the lineup, any missed time would be a real blow to Boston’s offense early in the season, as Duvall has raked to open the 2023 campaign. In his first 33 plate appearances this season, Duvall has slashed a whopping .483/.545/1.138 with four home runs, five doubles, and a triple while either scoring or knocking in 25 of the club’s 55 runs.

More injury updates…

  • Starling Marte left today’s game against the Marlins after the first inning due to what the Mets described as a neck strain.  Marte suffered the injury while stealing third base in the bottom of the first, as Marte’s slide took him headfirst into the knee of Miami third baseman Jean Segura.  He remained in the game for the remainder of the inning, but Jeff McNeil moved from second base to take Marte’s spot in the right field for the top of the second. Manager Buck Showalter expressed optimism regarding Marte, telling reporters (including Laura Albanese of Newsday) “so far so good” as it pertains to Marte having avoided a concussion. Any missed time by Marte seems likely to benefit outfielder Tommy Pham in terms of playing time, though it’s also possible that the club could call up a player like Danny Mendick to take some starts if Marte requires a trip to the injured list.
  • The Marlins had a pair of players leave today’s game as well, with Avisail Garcia exiting the game with what was termed “left hamstring soreness”, according to the Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson, while J.T. Chargois exited with an apparent injury just three pitches into the seventh inning. Chargois, who the Marlins acquired from the Rays via trade back in November, has been a useful reliever in recent years, recording a 2.36 ERA with a 23.6% strikeout rate and 8% walk rate in 80 innings since the start of the 2021 season. Garcia, on the other hand, is entering the second season of a four-year deal he signed with the Marlins prior to the 2021 season that he has struggled to live up to to this point. Despite entering the contract as a career 104 wRC+ hitter coming off a strong 29-homer season in 2021 where he posted a wRC+ of 116, Garcia has slashed just .216/.259/.310 (62 wRC+) in his first 106 games as a Marlin, with a 28.9% strikeout rate above his career norms and just nine home runs.

Diamondbacks Place Zach Davies On 15-Day IL, Select Peter Solomon

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1:30PM: Jameson will move into Davies’ rotation spot, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (including Theo Mackie of the Arizona Republic).

12:45PM: The Diamondbacks announced that right-hander Zach Davies has been placed on the 15-day injured list, due to a strained left oblique suffered in last night’s game with the Dodgers.  Right-hander Peter Solomon’s contract was selected from Triple-A in order to fill Davies’ spot on the active roster.  Arizona moved both Mark Melancon and Cole Sulser to the 60-day IL to create 40-man roster space for Solomon and for the newly-acquired Jose Ruiz.

It was pretty clear that Davies was headed to the IL after yesterday’s early exit, as he struggled through 4 1/3 innings before departing.  We may learn about the severity of Davies’ strain in due time, though most oblique injuries of even a Grade 1 level usually require around a month of recovery time.

Since the D’Backs don’t play on Thursday, the team doesn’t strictly need a fifth starter until its April 18 game against the Cardinals.  That gives the Snakes some time to figure out Davies’ replacement in the rotation, with reliever Drey Jameson representing the most obvious in-house option already on the MLB roster.  Jameson didn’t win a rotation job in Spring Training but still made the roster as a relief pitcher, with the expectation that he could step into a starting role if and when an injury-related vacancy emerged.  At the Triple-A level, Tommy Henry and top prospect Brandon Pfaadt are also possibilities if the D’Backs prefer to keep Jameson in the bullpen.

Solomon’s promotion could be a hint to Arizona’s intentions, as while Solomon is a starter himself, his shaky results in the minors might suggest that he’s suited to a relief role at the MLB level.  The Diamondbacks might move Jameson to the rotation and then use Solomon in Jameson’s role as a multi-inning reliever (albeit in lower-leverage situations).

Solomon was a fourth-round pick for the Astros in the 2017 draft, and his only MLB experience came in the form of 14 innings with Houston in 2021.  Pittsburgh claimed Solomon off waivers from the Astros last September, and then Arizona selected Solomon away from the Pirates in December during the minor league version of the Rule 5 Draft.  While Solomon has a 5.25 ERA over 210 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level, he misses a lot of bats, and might better fit the profile of a reliever even though he has a five-pitch arsenal.

It was only a matter of time before the D’Backs moved Melancon to the 60-day IL, since the veteran reliever is expected to miss several months recovering from a shoulder strain.  Sulser is also suffering from a shoulder strain and was just placed on the 15-day injured list on Friday, but he’ll now face at least a two-month absence before he returns to the big league roster.

The mounting list of injuries in Arizona’s bullpen might also be a factor in the team’s decision about whether or not to move Jameson out of a relief spot.  Corbin Martin might miss the entire 2023 season after undergoing lat tendon surgery last month, Melancon and Sulser are also long-term absences, and Joe Mantiply began the season on the 15-day IL due to shoulder fatigue.

Padres Place David Dahl On 10-Day Injured List

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The Padres placed outfielder David Dahl on the 10-day injured list due to a right quad strain, with a retroactive placement date of April 7.  Brandon Dixon was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move.

San Diego signed Dahl to a minor league deal during the offseason, and he broke camp with the team and appeared in four games for the Padres before this latest injury setback.  Manager Bob Melvin said yesterday that Dahl was hurt while running sprints in the outfield prior to Saturday’s game, and that an IL stint seemed possible.

Dahl is unfortunately no stranger to the injured list, as several health problems (including a lacerated spleen, a stress fracture in his rib, and various back and shoulder issues) have hampered his career.  It seemed like he’d finally broken through with an All-Star season with the Rockies in 2019, but Dahl has hit only .199/.236/.303 over 328 Major League plate appearances since the start of the 2020 campaign.  Dahl didn’t see any big league action in 2022, spending the year at the Triple-A affiliates of the Nationals and Brewers.

Dixon’s multi-position versatility will help the Padres address their depth needs in the outfield, but the club is definitely not in an ideal place with both Dahl and Adam Engel on the IL.  Juan Soto and Trent Grisham are everyday starters, of course, and Fernando Tatis Jr. will soon be joining the mix once his PED suspension is up, but until then, San Diego has used backup Jose Azocar, Dahl, and converted infielder Rougned Odor in right field.  Melvin suggested that Nelson Cruz might be an option for some right field work, even though Cruz hasn’t played the outfield since 2018.

Diamondbacks Acquire Jose Ruiz From White Sox

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The Diamondbacks announced that right-hander Jose Ruiz has been acquired from the White Sox in exchange for cash considerations.  Ruiz was designated for assignment by the Sox on Friday.

Ruiz was a regular in Chicago’s bullpen for most of the last four seasons, except for an injury-shortened 2020 season that saw Ruiz pitch mostly at the club’s alternate training site.  With a 3.75 ERA over 129 2/3 innings from 2020-22, Ruiz’s bottom-line results were solid, and his high-velocity fastball carries some solid spin.  Ruiz’s effectiveness was tempered, however, by mediocre walk rates and a lot of hard contact, and a .260 BABIP over the previous three seasons was likely a big factor in his success.

That good fortune turned around hard on Ruiz this season, as he had a whopping 22.09 ERA over his first 3 2/3 innings of the 2023 campaign.  It was enough for the White Sox to part ways with Ruiz, and he’ll now look for a fresh start in Arizona’s bullpen.

The D’Backs are looking for some relief help in the wake of multiple injuries to their intended bullpen mix.  Joe Mantiply has yet to pitch this season due to shoulder fatigue, while Cole Sulser, Mark Melancon, and Corbin Martin are all on the 60-day injured list — in the case of Melancon and Martin, it remains to be seen if either will return before the 2023 season is over.  The injury bug has now spread to the rotation in the form of Zach Davies’ oblique strain, and with Drey Jameson moving from the bullpen to Davies’ spot in the starting five, Arizona took a flier on Ruiz to add some depth to the relief corps.

Cardinals Place Packy Naughton On 15-Day IL Due To Left Forearm Strain

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TODAY: Manager Oliver Marmol told reporters (including MLB.com’s John Denton) that Naughton’s MRI didn’t show any structural damage, so Naughton may have only suffered a forearm strain.  The lefty will continue to be evaluated over the next few days as the Cardinals determine his recovery plan.

APRIL 8: The Cardinals placed left-hander Packy Naughton on the 15-day injured list, as Naughton is suffering from a left forearm strain.  Genesis Cabrera has been called up from Triple-A to fill Naughton’s place in the bullpen with another southpaw.

There wasn’t much doubt that Naughton would need some type of visit to the IL after he removed himself from last night’s 4-0 loss to the Brewers.  Naughton entered the game in the eighth inning, retired two batters and then walked Christian Yelich before motioning to the Cardinals’ dugout that something was amiss.  The club has yet to comment on the severity of Naughton’s strain or if the worst-case scenario of Tommy John surgery is being considered, but Naughton will almost certainly miss more than 15 days while recovering.

Naughton (who turns 27 later this month) is in his third Major League season, after initially being selected by the Reds in the ninth round of the 2017 draft.  The Angels acquired Naughton as part of the trade that sent Brian Goodwin to Cincinnati at the 2020 trade deadline, and St. Louis claimed Naughton off waivers from Anaheim prior to the start of the 2022 season.

With both the Angels in 2021 and the Cards last year, Naughton has spent a lot of time shuttling back and forth from Triple-A, working as both a spot starter and increasingly as a reliever with St. Louis.  The more permanent move to relief work has seemingly bumped up Naughton’s strikeout rates, while he has continued to exhibit the solid control that has helped up rise up the minor league ranks.  Naughton has a 3.69 ERA over 453 1/3 innings in the minors, and a 4.98 ERA over his 59 2/3 frames as a big leaguer, which includes five innings of scoreless ball this season.

It hasn’t been a smooth start to the season for the Cardinals bullpen, and losing Naughton won’t help matters.  Cabrera joins Zack Thompson as the only left-handed members of the relief corps, though JoJo Romero is at the Triple-A level.  Between a dropoff in strikeouts and an increase in his home run rate, Cabrera struggled to a 4.63 ERA over 44 2/3 innings for St. Louis last season, and a good Spring Training performance wasn’t enough to win him a spot on the Opening Day roster.

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