Dinelson Lamet to the bullpen?
Prepare for anything, even this weird potential move.
As I start/continue writing about the Padres on a more consistent basis, I feel like it’s important to stress that I am not an expert. I did not play baseball above the little league level, I don’t have a better understanding of scouting or team management than you do. This means that sometimes I’m going to be wrong and/or look stupid while doing it, and today might be one of those times!
Let’s dive in.
Lamet to the bullpen?
First, allow me to be clear. I am not advocating for Dinelson Lamet to be transitioned from top-tier starting pitcher to a relief pitching role, no matter what his health situation might be. I might do that in the future, but for now I am just pointing something out that I think makes sense.
Last night, Lamet pitched his first inning of “real” baseball since September 25th, 2020. He and the team are hoping to avoid another Tommy John surgery, opting for platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy and rest, and throwing an inning without pain is another step towards that.
When the team announced that Lamet would be pitching in Wednesday night’s game, they also gave a timeline for him to get back into the rotation: towards the end of April. This is fine, one month missed to make sure Lamet is healthy and ready for the next five months of baseball definitely feels worth it.
But how the hell are they going to deal with his roster spot for that month? The team can’t put him on the injured-list without an injury. And, while he does have some minor league options, sending him to AAA is pointless in terms of this timeline because the first El Paso Chihuahuas game this season is on May 6th. He would be able to continue a throwing regimen in private, but that’s hardly a way to prepare for a spot in the starting rotation against MLB hitters.
My vote, which the team will undoubtedly disregard, would be to give Lamet a role in the bullpen for the next month (with some restrictions in place). The best way to do this would be to put him on a schedule, making him available once every five days. After throwing an inning here or there, they could stretch him out as an opener or a long reliever a few times before moving him back into the rotation.
As long as he’s not being overworked (this would be the reason for the restrictions/schedule), there’s no more potential harm in doing this than in having him throw fake innings at the alternate site. The added benefit is the Padres get production out of him while stretching him out (which might be useful with Drew Pomeranz and Austin Adams already dealing with injuries in the bullpen), and both the team and player feel more comfortable with the health of Lamet’s arm once he’s ready to take back his starting role.
In a season with championship aspirations, it’s all hands on deck and creative thinking is needed. Why not use Lamet for what he can do now while waiting for his body to be ready for more?
Weathers on the roster
The more I think about it, the more it seems to me that Ryan Weathers is starting this MLB season as a member of the San Diego Padres.
Here’s how the starting rotation is currently stacked:
Yu Darvish
Blake Snell
Joe Musgrove
Chris Paddack
Adrian Morejon
That’s a good rotation! Even without Mike Clevinger or Dinelson Lamet, that’s a solid five. The problem is that a few different things are going to add up and cause some early trouble:
Early season: Most pitchers are not ready to throw 110 pitches in a baseball game at the start of the season. That’s been true for decades and will probably always be true. The amount of work a starter can handle in the middle of the season is a bit more than when the season begins. They also, typically, need a bit more rest to get things started (this is why the first month schedule usually has more off days than other months).
This would all be especially true this season, where the Padres are coming off of an unprecedented shortened season.
Early schedule: The Padres, along with most of the rest of the league, have hinted at going to a 6-man starting rotation when the schedule gets particularly tough. Unfortunately, they won’t have to wait long for the first tough slog.
From April 1 through April 28, the Padres have two total off days. That’s 26 games in 28 days. Making things worse is the middle of the month’s marathon:
From April 9 through April 25, the Padres have zero total off days. That’s 17 games in a row, including two series against the Dodgers and five flights. The team needs to do whatever it can to survive that stretch.
Swingman needed: In addition to needing a 6th starter for April’s tough schedule, the Padres bullpen is in need of a lefty that can face right-handed pitchers (Pomeranz and Matt Strahm fit the bill but are both currently dealing with injuries).
Also, despite how talented this Padres bullpen is (maybe the most talented in Padres history!), they are missing a swingman that can be used as long-relief with occasional spot starts. Last year, that role was filled by Morejon. And in previous years, this important job was how Luis Perdomo kept his roster spot.
So, back to Ryan Weathers. Despite just barely being legal drinking age, Weathers has already proven that he’s not afraid of the spotlight by pitching a perfect inning against the Dodgers in the playoffs last year.
By showing up to spring training in much better physical condition, Weathers showed his dedication to his craft and the team. His performance in spring training games has also proven that last year was no fluke, his stuff can play at this level.
The Padres are in need for a 6th starter in April, a swingman after that, and another trustworthy lefty arm in the bullpen. Without getting lost in the depths of a conversation of why that man is Weathers and not MacKenzie Gore, I believe this perfect storm makes it nearly impossible for Ryan Weathers to miss out on the opening day roster this year.
And, to tie things together in a neat little package, maybe Weathers can be paired with Lamet (playing the role of opener) in his first few starts to lessen the burden and increase the overall effectiveness a bit.