Trust in Young Arms Keeping San Juan Rolling

[MikeB]

The San Juan front office feels vindicated in trusting its pitching pipeline. The team could have chased veteran proven talent, particularly when injuries began to mount, but instead relied on its draft picks to fill its staff. The result has been the fifth best e.r.a. in the IL at 3.14.

Nonetheless, it has been far from a satisfying summer as many of those young arms have been thrust into bigger roles due to a crowded disabled list.

“We are playing .600 ball which San Juan organization - at any time - has never done for a full season,” said General Manager Mike Best. “Yet the feeling is still a ‘what if’ as the year has been spent plugging holes.

That 27-year old Keith Dupree has been in and out of the lineup is no surprise as the team is happy he even can still pitch with his injury history. But losing 25-year old Jorge Pagán and 26-year old rookie Eli McKnight, both starters, could have been more costly. McKnight was just beginning to live up to his promise as a 2028 second-round pick, looking better than his 2-3, 3.43 record. Pagán had just locked down a starter role for the first time at 6-4, 2.17, when given the nod.

Filling the gaps has been Seong-chae Somun, a 25-year old who almost made the team in the spring before getting buried in AAA until July. Somun, 9-1, 2.59, has been brilliant, lasting at least eight innings in five of his ten starts.

Less of a surprise has been 25-year old Marcel Osterhaut, a former 2026 first rounder who has built off a strong rookie season last year. Osterhaut won eight straight decisions from mid-May to July 5 before losing four straight, none of which he gave up more than three runs. He is now 11-8, 2.24, the e.r.a. placing him third in the IL.

The Coqui have also called on 25-year old swingman Jesús Luna, who at 3-4, 3.67, has been more mediocre. But the team feels strongly Moonball belongs in the PEBA even if in a relief role.

The team has not given the starting ball to rookie António Ávila yet, mainly because he has been so good in relief. Ávila, taken in the first round the same year as Osterhaut, has a 1.52 e.r.a. in 29.2 innings and a 4-1 record since being called up in mid-June.

“In a sense the injuries have allowed Ávila and Somun in particular to get shots in the PEBA. So that is definitely a silver lining,” says Best.

In the meantime, 25-year old Tetsuzan Shimada, a wily veteran in his third season, has rebounded from a slow start. Shimada is an unlikely candidate to start any postseason games as he mainly has been blown up by the likes of Florida, West Virginia and Havana while allowing just two runs in his last four starts against other teams.

Of course at the top of the staff are two veterans - Fernando Castro, the all-time organization win leader, who is 14-4, 3.00, this season, and all-star closer José Gómez (1.40, 36 saves).

[Sandgnats]

Interesting how your guys were able to keep those hits low with a BAIP of .251 (2nd in the IL) Just a bit too many walks could have driven those runs scored down. But still impressive given the tough competition in your division!