The Orioles’ third baseman in exile is keeping prepared:
Chris Davis playing 3B again today in instructional league game vs. Red Sox in Sarasota. Played there yesterday vs. Rays in Port Charlotte
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) September 30, 2014
Davis would be eligible to play in a theoretical ninth Orioles playoff game and beyond. If they get that far, however, one wonders if they won’t have decided by then that, really, Kelly Johnson is a better bet.
Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Nick Pivetta will rejoin the Phillies’ rotation, starting Tuesday’s series opener at home against the Cardinals. Vince Velasquez will remain in the bullpen.
Pivetta, 26, allowed 17 earned runs on 31 hits and eight walks with 16 strikeouts in 18 1/3 innings across his first four starts of the season. The performance resulted in a demotion to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In six starts there, Pivetta had a much better 3.41 ERA with a 50/20 K/BB ratio in 37 innings of work.
Velasquez, 26, was solid as a starter, posting a 3.99 ERA across six starts. However, he averaged under five innings and 92 pitches per start. The right-hander tossed two scoreless innings out of the bullpen on Friday against the Brewers but was torched for four runs in two-thirds of an inning on Sunday. Mixed results, to say the least. The Phillies are trying to do what they can with their bullpen, currently missing David Robertson, Tommy Hunter, Pat Neshek, and Vìctor Arano.
