Padres Dinelson Lamet set to make spring training debut on Wednesday
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Dinelson Lamet will make his spring training debut when the Padres face the Giants. Here’s what to expect.
After months of speculation surrounding Padres starting pitcher Dinelson Lamet‘s health, the 28-year-old will make his spring training debut Wednesday against the Giants at Scottdale Stadium. Coincidentally, the last time Lamet took the mound was against these Giants. He left that start after pitching 3.2 innings, never pitching during the Padres postseason.
Manager Jayce Tingler said that Lamet will pitch one inning, and if all goes well, he’ll continue to progress in his rehabilitation.
“I’m very much looking forward it — excited to see it, under the lights,” Tingler said on Monday. “I think right now we’re going to shoot for one inning, and we’re going to get through that. If he comes out feeling well, we’ll move onto the next step.”
Lamet finished the shortened 2020 season with a 2.09 ERA and fourth in National League Cy Young voting. His injury occurred two days after the Padres lost Mike Clevinger to the same bicep tightness. The difference is, Clevinger attempted to return in the NLDS and now will miss all of the 2021 season.
The Padres opted for the wait-and-see method for Lamet. The Santiago, Dominican Republic native received platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, a therapy of injecting the patient’s own platelets to accelerate the healing of tendons.
Lamet resumed his throwing program in early December and pitched two innings in a simulated game last week.
“He came off his last sim game, and he felt normal,” Tingler said of Lamet. “He felt like he had a pretty good intensity, all the normal aches, and pains that you do after throwing, which was really encouraging. And he did his treatment, and he’s bouncing back well.”
An important piece of the Padres rotation, general manager A.J. Preller planned for the worst, acquiring Yu Darvish, Blake Snell, and Joe Musgrove to bolster the rotation in the event something happens with Lamet. With less than two weeks until Opening Day, it’s looking more and more like Lamet may join the Padres rotation later in the season.
Padres writer/editor for East Village Times. LA Kings writer/editor for Hockey Royalty. IBWAA member.