Friars On Base
Fansided

Padres News: Kennedy to the DL with Hamstring Injury

By Tim Richer

facebooktwitterreddit

If you watched last Thursday’s game you would have seen something that probably made your heart stop for a second, or at the very least utter a few choice words. In the third inning, after 33 pitches, Ian Kennedy signaled to the San Diego Padres bench that something was wrong. Bud Black and the trainer checked him out and he was gone in an instant.

Thankfully, it wasn’t his arm that was hurting. Shorty after he departed the game the Padres official twitter account announced that he left the game with a hamstring strain.

After the game Kennedy describe it (quotes courtesy of Corey Brock and MLB.com), saying “I just felt something grab and [in the third inning] I could feel it slowly and slowly getting tighter”. While an injury is never a good thing, this sounds relatively minor.

Despite it being minor though, it is still enough send him to the Disabled List.

It would appear that Odrisamer Despaigne will take his spot in the starting rotation. Despaigne replaced Kennedy Thursday and proceeded to retire 14 straight Giants hitters after coming in relief. Despaigne did enter mid at bat to face Nori Aoki, who he walked, although the walk was charged to Kennedy. Despaigne lost the battle for the fifth starting spot to Brandon Morrow this spring, despite a strong performance. Despaigne made 16 starts last year, posting a 3.36 ERA in his rookie campaign. Losing Kennedy is a fairly significant loss, but Despaigne gives them a very solid fall back option.

With Kennedy headed to the DL, Chris Rearick and Brandon Maurer have been recalled. Subsequently, Nick Vincent has been optioned to AAA El Paso.

This will be Rearick’s first stint in the big leagues of his career. The 27 year old lefty was acquired from the Rays in 2012. He’ll give Bud Black another lefty option out of the pen in addition to Frank Garces.

Maurer, who was acquired from the Mariners for Seth Smith this off-season, has been called up to offset the loss of Despaigne in the bullpen. Vincent has already worked in three games so far this year, so his availability would be questionable. Maurer, a former starter, would be a guy who could throw multiple innings if need be.

Next: How Does the Dining at Petco Park Stack Up With the Rest of the League?

More from Friars on Base

Home/Padres News