After a year off, the list of high-profile guys who have either had surgery or spent significant time on the DL in the previous season is back. It nearly goes without saying they’re mostly pitchers (as they were in 2013) but I could have easily put Brian Goodwin in this category this year.
It might be worth clicking through to the previous edition — sure, there are a couple of guys that made it back, but quite a few did not (or have not).
Felipe Rivero
Rivero missed more than two months during the 2014 and while he finished the regular season strong, he was hit hard in five of seven AFL starts while giving up 11 walks and striking out just 15 over 23⅔ innings. It’s easy to call that rust, but it’s also a tell-tale sign that something’s wrong.
Matt Purke
Injuries have dogged Purke since before he was drafted by the Nationals and they went to great lengths to keep him under wraps until he finally pitched a full season in 2013. He’ll be coming off TJ surgery and might not make it north of Florida.
Sammy Solis
Like Purke, Solis has struggled to stay healthy since his collegiate days, suffering both back and elbow injuries. He missed nearly three months last summer before making two starts in the GCL in late August.
Jefry Rodriguez
A fractured wrist ended his season in July, which was revealed in a BA chat and not by the Nats, who are notoriously specious and tight-lipped when it comes to injuries. Allegedly, Rodriguez has recovered and was pitching well in instrux, according to BA, which often parrots what the parent club tells them.
Erick Fedde
Fedde will invariably and inevitably be compared to Lucas Giolito, except Fedde had his TJ surgery before he was drafted. Fedde, a former HS teammate of Bryce Harper, was 8-2 with 1.75 ERA in 11 starts with UNLV in 2014 and will likely make an appearance in the GCL in 2015.
Luke, you were right about last years list. Most of the pitchers are out of baseball.