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When Joey Luchessi left Monday’s start after five shaky innings, Don Orsillo and Mark Grant wondered whether he was pulled prematurely. As it turns out, he was experiencing tightness in a glute muscle throughout the game. Some would argue that they’re both tight, but that’s not my bag. After the game he said that he’d do the typical stretching and strengthening to get back in shape for his next start, but the team is being proactive with their promising young starter by sending him to the infirmary for a week or two. He’s going on the 10-day Disabled List for an apparently minor condition, which is a savvy move that gives the team some roster flexibility in the meantime.
Another move is likely to come in a few days as his next scheduled start rolls around. The team might look to Robbie Erlin or Bryan Mitchell to get a spot start, or another player may be added to the roster.
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In his absence, Carlos Asuaje is back! He was optioned to the minors just yesterday to open up a 25-man roster space for Franmil Reyes. Typically, when a player is optioned he must remain in the minors for 10 days before being recalled, but there must be some gray area for players who haven’t actually gone anywhere. Asuaje made some ripples on social media a few days back when he tweeted out “I suck right now...”, a statement that drew encouragement from the Twitterverse because Padres Twitter is a big happy friar family. Since that tweet, he has made two pinch-hitting appearances, hitting a single and a sacrifice fly to score a run in two key situations. Jose Pirela appears to be the everyday second baseman at this point, but Asuaje might see some late-game defensive replacement action and perhaps a spot platoon start.