MASH Report (6/13/16)

• Felix Hernandez got some bad news. He will not be back for four to six weeks.

The team initially hoped that Hernandez, who is 4-4 with a 2.86 ERA in 10 starts, would miss only two starts after being placed on the disabled list June 1. But Hernandez told ESPN’s Marly Rivera on Saturday that while the second MRI showed improvement, the Mariners’ medical director, Dr. Edward Khalfayan, wants him to rest the calf for four to six weeks.

“I have already been [on] the DL about 12 days, so those days are included [in the 4-6 weeks],” Hernandez said, adding that he expects to be throwing again before the team returns from its next road trip on June 24.

This update sucks for Hernandez owners.

• Vincent Velasquez was pulled from his last start after a couple of pitches with a strained bicep.

The Phillies and Velasquez indicated Wednesday, however, they do not believe the injury is serious. Manager Pete Mackanin said Friday that Velasquez’s MRI came back “pretty clean,” and the pitches reiterated his lack of concern.

“It’s just a little strain, just a little fluid in there,” Velasquez said, citing the results of the MRI. “We’ll shoot for 15 days and go from there. I don’t know how many days. It might take 10, five, who knows.”

I don’t have the enthusiasm of Velasquez on him just missing a few days and will put his return date around a month.

• Phil Hughes will miss six to eight weeks with a fractured kneecap.

Hughes, who took a line drive off the left knee from Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto on Thursday, will miss six to eight weeks with a femural fracture above the kneecap. He was seen in the locker walking with the assistance of crutches before Saturday’s game at Target Field. There had been speculation the injury may just be a bruise, but an MRI on Friday evening revealed a compression fracture.

“It’s not going to require surgery,” Twins manager Paul Molitor said before Saturday’s 15-4 loss to the Red Sox. “In the short term, he’s going to have minimum weight bearing with crutches and the like, then you’ve got work yourself back into shape for big league games. This is going to set him back for a while.”

• Andrew Cashner is out with a strained neck. After reading through the injury details, no one seems to have a clue on the injury’s extent when he will return. He could be back in 15-days or it may take months to heal right. Even with some news coming out on him feeling better, I will wait for him to start pitching again to make a decision.

• Just a reminder, Raisel Iglesias will work out of the Reds bullpen when he returns from the DL.

Price noted that Iglesias was able to throw his full mix of pitches — fastball, slider, sinker and changeup — with his fastball velocity ranging from 93-96 mph. Iglesias threw 30 total pitches, 22 of them for strikes.
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When he does return to the Reds, he’ll be pitching out of the bullpen. It’s the same role Michael Lorenzen will be in when he returns from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville, and it’s the role that Alfredo Simon now finds himself in after being dropped from the starting rotation.

• Domingo Santana is back on the DL with a sore elbow this time.

• Shin-Soo Choo will likely come off the DL either today or tomorrow.

• Chris Parmelee is on the DL with a strained hamstring.

• Chris Owings is headed to the DL with plantar fasciitis. It has been bothering him all year. When other players have gotten the injury before, like Chase Utley and Albert Pujols, it has taken them a while to become healthy and they usually come back with diminished production. Chris Owings already has diminished production, so he will be unusable if he gets worse.

• Francisco Cervelli will miss at least a month after having surgery on his hand.

• A Kelby Tomlinson is on the DL with a sprained thumb.

Fastball velocity reading for pitchers returning from the DL

• Arquimedes Caminero’s average fastball velocity is fine.

• Anthony DeSclafani’s velocity also seems fine.

• Kyle Gibson’s is also good.

• Corey Knebel’s fastball as lost a tick since last year.

• Cory Rasmus’s is fine.

Players on the 2016 DL

The Red players have had updates since the last report. Click on the “Date” for a link to go to the latest article on the player.