Bucs' rotation in flux after Velasquez's IL return cut short

SEATTLE -- Vince Velasquez’s first outing off the injured list didn’t go as planned.

After spending several weeks on the IL due to right elbow inflammation, Velasquez was pulled in his first start back after just two innings due to right elbow discomfort as the Pirates fell to the Mariners, 5-0, on Saturday at T-Mobile Park. Velasquez, who allowed four earned runs on seven hits and a walk, is currently being examined.

“You feel for him,” manager Derek Shelton said. “A lot of times, we look at the baseball player, but you feel for the human being.”

Velasquez, who was not available postgame, had noticeably lower velocity on Saturday. His slider and changeup registered as 1.2 mph slower than his season average, while his four-seam fastball came in at 1.3 mph slower than season average. Additionally, Velasquez lacked the sharpness he exhibited in April, leaving several sliders and four-seam fastballs over the middle of the plate.

“Just watching him at the end of the second, didn’t look like he was comfortable,” Shelton said. “Then, after having a conversation with him, didn’t feel like he was in the best spot so decided to take him out.”

So, where do the Pirates go from here? Well, the team’s next steps depend entirely on the health of Velasquez’s right elbow.

If Velasquez requires another trip to the injured list, the Pirates will not need to look far for a replacement. Roansy Contreras was originally slated to start on Saturday, but the Pirates elected to skip Contreras’ spot in the rotation in favor of Velasquez. Shelton said postgame that Contreras is “100 percent.”

If Velasquez does not require a trip to the injured list, the Pirates would be left with six starters on their roster. Considering Pittsburgh skipped Contreras’ spot and stuck with Luis L. Ortiz for Sunday’s start, it’s possible that Contreras, who has a 4.50 ERA in nine starts, could see time in the bullpen.

Prior to hitting the injured list, Velasquez was pitching some of his best ball in recent memory. Through April, Velasquez owned a 3.06 ERA and 3.72 FIP across 32 1/3 innings with 32 strikeouts to 12 walks, ending the month by recording four consecutive quality starts. Velasquez looked on his way to recording a fifth consecutive quality start on May 4 against the Rays, allowing one run in his first three innings, but began feeling discomfort in the right-elbow area during the third inning.

Velasquez experienced issues in that area of his arm before undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2010 due to overuse. Instead of grinding through this time, Velasquez pulled the plug on that start and hit the injured list soon after.

“I would say I made the smart move by stopping,” Velasquez said on Wednesday. “It could’ve gotten a lot worse.”

With Velasquez lasting just two innings, rookie left-hander Jose Hernandez helped save the bullpen by allowing no runs across a career-high three innings. Hernandez, a Rule 5 Draft pick who hadn’t pitched above Double-A prior to this season, now owns a 2.38 ERA and 2.80 FIP across 22 2/3 innings, with 23 strikeouts.

“Our bullpen did a good job,” Shelton said. “They kept us in the game. Jose mixed his pitches well. There’s some good hitters there and he was able to keep guys off balance with all three pitches. ... Really encouraging to see that he continues to throw strikes.”