San Diego Padres: Lucchesi Likely to Miss Another Start

Contrary to initial reports out of the San Diego Padres’ camp, Joey Lucchesi will most likely not return after missing just one start on the disabled list.

As per Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Padres left-hander, Joey Lucchesi, is more than likely to miss his another start due to the hip strain that landed him on the disabled list on May 21.

Lucchesi threw from up to 120 feet yesterday, surely much to the delight of a cautious but optimistic Friars organization. According to Acee, “the next step is likely a bullpen session and then another. If those go well, Lucchesi could be back in the starting rotation without a rehab assignment…”

As encouraging as that scenario sounds, and stress-free I might add, it could be prudent on the part of Padres to not ease Joey Fuego back into the fray. There are arms to go around at the moment.

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San Diego Padres have options

Jordan Lyles has been next-to-outstanding since debuting in the Friars’ rotation.

Tyson Ross has been terrific nearly all season and figures to shoulder the load of any of the team’s missing cogs.

Even Clayton Richard has seemingly turned things around after a very tough start to the year.

Eric Lauer had a great outing last night and seems to be gaining steam with each start he makes. And Robbie Erlin probably deserves another shot to start, too.

Padres have Perdomo in the wings too

With Luis Perdomo making strides in Triple-A El Paso (as Acee talks about and Andy Green comments on in his article), he definitely gives the team another option if they do indeed choose to take their time with Lucchesi’s return.

In nine starts this season, Joey Lucchesi has pitched to a 3.23 earned-run average, good for seventh in all of baseball among qualified rookie starting pitchers (Fernando Romero of the Twins leads with 1.66 ERA in four starts).

His 9.13 strikeouts per nine innings rank tenth among the same group of hurlers, and his 2.85 walks issued per nine innings rank twelfth.

Next: Lauer Tames Nats for Six

While Lucchesi’s long-term health, especially with his plant-leg at risk, the team has every right to be cautious as they ease him back to being MLB game-ready. But with productivity like this being lost, one could also understand why they want him back so quickly.