David Phelps’ 2018 baseball season is over, and the season hasn’t even really begun. Leaving the Mariners pitcher lite yet again.
The 2018 season is the second season that David has been unable to complete due to elbow issues, but this year is more serious than a simple impingement and will require more extensive surgery. In 2017 David’s season came to an early end after he had to undergo laparoscopic surgery to remove a bone spur.
Phelps, a star pitcher joined the world of Major League Baseball with the New York Yankees in 2012 to 2014, the Miami Marlins from 2014 to 2017, and joined the Seattle Mariners in 2017.
The Mariners announced on Wednesday that Phelps had torn an ulnar collateral elbow ligament and will have to undergo surgery, pulling him out for the seasons line up. Phelps says he felt the tear during the last pitch against the Angels.
Phelps has put a huge amount of time into ensuring that he would be ready for this season, said GM, Jerry Dipoto. However, after numerous scans it is obvious that he had no other choice but to opt out of the season. Phelps will again join the disabled list and next season will qualify for free agency.
Its seems to be a bit of a theme for the Mariners who’ve experienced a series of injuries to new trades. Smyly, whom they traded for Vargas and Yarbrough didn’t even make it to the pitch as he also required Tommy John Surgery. Simmons was absent most of the 2017 season due to a flexor strain, and now Phelps.
It has been a really unlucky run for the Mariners and online betting NZ fans have taken heed and are tentatively looking for new teams to back.
Unfortunately for them, at this late stage, their replacement options are few, but better than none. Juan Nicasio is probably the favourite to fill that spot, and with David off the field it puts massive pressure on him to perform. Dan Altavilla and James Pazos are two more potentials, and Chasen Bradford could surprise us too. It will require a change in the Mariners strategy, so they will definitely feel David’s absence on the field.
Their other new recruit, Rumbelow, is also out with a nerve injury, and will be for an unknown amount of time, and Tony Zych has been let go also due to arm problems. That’s three strong players in a very short space of time and certainly more injuries of a similar nature than one team should have to deal with in one season. The whole situation is going to require some reshuffling to ensure the Mariners can take to the field.
Possible changes could include Bradford in the bullpen, and Vincent back to pitching. Shawn Armstrong and Mike Morin are also two righty candidates.
The free agent market is still an option as well with a few experienced arms that may be open to negotiation, but it depends on what the Mariners are able to offer. Blanton, Qualls, Grilli and Street are all still options. But some of the available candidates may be a bit too costly for the Mariners bank accounts.
We’ll find out soon enough, when the Mariners open the season on the 29th of March against the Indians.
