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Lakins was dominant after transitioning to the bullpen last year Justin Verlander Jersey , and if healthy he should get a chance in the majors in 2019."So, after a delayed start in 2018 as he was still recovering form the elbow injury, Lakins finally made it back to Portland. He technically began his season as a starter, but it was clear the organization was changing its philosophy because he was throwing no more than three innings and 60 pitches in any of his six starts. Then, at the end of May, the change was made and Lakins started throwing short stints. It was a revelation. Not only was he great, which we’ll get to in just a second, but he made it through the entire season without so much as an injury scare. It was the role Lakins was made for, and he took to it immediately.Like I said Houston Astros Jersey , he was phenomenal in his new role. In Portland he made 20 appearances coming out of the bullpen and he allowed just two earned runs over 21 innings (0.86 ERA) with 22 strikeouts and eight walks while holding opponents to an OPS below .450. There were some hiccups early on, including Lakins issuing a walk in five of his first six appearances, but by and large he showed early and often that he could make an impact in this role. When the calendar turned to August, he was rewarded with a promotion to Pawtucket where he made 10 appearances and tossed 16 2鈦? innings, pitching to a 1.65 ERA with 15 strikeouts and five walks. Kelly O’Connor; sittingstill.smugmug.comIt wasn’t just the numbers that stood out, either, as the scouting reports backed up that this role was the perfect fit for Lakins. Whereas he generally sat in the low-to-mid-90s as a starter, sometimes getting back to 95 mph, he was sitting in that upper-end as a reliever and getting up as high as 98 mph. The command with the fastball still lost its consistency at time http://www.astrosfanproshop.com/authentic-justin-verlander-jersey , but the pitch was a legitimate weapon. He also showed off a cutter that has emerged as a legitimate out pitch and can mix in a solid curveball to give him an offspeed pitch that’ll keep opponents honest. Add in the fact that his pitches were good enough to succeed against hitters of both handedness — both righties and lefties posted sub-.600 OPS’s in 2018 — and he has the makings of a legitimate setup arm, even if he doesn’t have the closer ceiling.With all of the success he showed in 2018 and the fact that his name is now on the 40-man roster, there’s really no reason that Lakins won’t make his major-league debut at some point in 2019 and potentially early in the year. There will be a pecking order and those without minor-league options will get preferential treatment out of the gate, but Lakins will get there. The biggest issue will be whether or not he will be able to stay on the field to take advantage of the opportunity. His body never let it work as a starter, but the first test run as a reliever went well. There’s still going to be apprehension with a pitcher who has suffered two elbow fractures in three seasons as a professional, but here’s hoping the shorter stints prevent further ailments because Lakins can serve a key role as long as he’s on the field. Morning news and notes for Tuesday, April 9, 2019"Happy Tuesday, everyone!Tribe newsBauer pitching in to aid youth clubs Hector Rondon Jersey , activities | MLBTrevor Bauer has a great talent when it comes to striking people out. He’s using this talent to make an impact on youth clubs and organizations. Keep it up, Trevor!Cleveland Indians’ Carlos Santana finishes behind Los Angeles Angels Mike Trout for AL Player of the Week award | Cleveland.com#NotMyPlayerOfTheWeekCleveland Indians starting pitchers are competing for King of the Hill honor, complete with crown | Cleveland.comShane Bieber has yet to win the crown, but it’s amazing to think that any of the Cleveland starters could turn in the best performance in any given week.Around the leagueChris Davis set a record on Monday night that he probably wishes he hadn’t.LGFT Edwin Encarnacion hit two dingers in one inning.Jon Lester left Monday’s game with hamstring tightness, and Pirates starter Jameson Taillon was struck in the head by a line drive.Hyun-Jin Ryu left the game on Monday night with a groin injury and may end up on the IL.Luis Severino is going to New York to have an MRI on his arm.Not many people showed up to watch the Giants on Monday night.If you’re a starting pitcher, you probably don’t want to face the Mariners right now: