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Yet another Padres player has found his way to the disabled list in this young season. Starting pitcher Robbie Erlin, who was promoted to the 25-man roster due to an injury to Matt Thornton, and moved from the bullpen to the rotation because of an injury to staff ace Tyson Ross, is the latest casualty. His malady is a strain in his left elbow, which is the one he uses to throw baseballs.
Taking Erlin's place on the active roster is right-handed reliever Leonel Campos, who has seen action with the big club the past two seasons, albeit very little of it. He pitched seven innings in six appearances as a September call-up in 2014, then another inning in his lone big league ballgame last year. In that very small sample size he has a 5.63 ERA and 1.875 WHIP while striking out 10 batters, which comes out to 11.3 per nine innings. While we're on the subject of small sample sizes, it's worth noting that he has a 4.91 ERA in 7.1 innings across five games with AAA El Paso this season, and has struck out a dozen batters, which is good for a rate of 14.7 per nine, better than his already astronomical mark of 12.9 in five minor league seasons.
It has yet to be announced who will be taking the open spot in the rotation. Ross will be missing more time than initially expected, so the problem won't fix itself. Of players on the current 25-man roster, Carlos Villanueva has experience starting, but he has been used for just an inning or less his past five appearances, which have been over a nine-day span. Veteran starter Jeremy Guthrie is in AAA with the Chihuahuas, but he is not on the 40-man roster. If the worst fears become a reality and Ross is moved to the 60-day DL, that would free up a spot, but I certainly hope it doesn't come down to that.
The Padres continue to be hit by injuries. Robbie Erlin goes on the 15-day DL with an elbow strain. Righty Leonel Campos recalled.
— Dennis Lin (@sdutdennislin) April 21, 2016