The question is whether the team will be able to find a role for Saucedo. This is saying something, since the 25-year-old has been creating almost 3 WAR a year for the recent past.
That’s what happens when you’re forced to step aside, though. The river keeps flowing, and eventually it fills in the hole you left behind. In this case, the role of the filler is being played by rookie Abdeljilill Sediki, who came to the team in a deal from Louisville (It's like being saved by Iron Man, he said at the time). The 22-year-old rookie was pressed into service after Saucedo went down, and has proven top be acrobatic in the field, and about league average with the bat and a bit speedy on the base paths. “He’s a better defender than we thought we were getting,” said one YS9 insider.
Saucedo is almost certainly a stronger hitter than Sediki, but the glove makes a big difference for the pitching staff. AS Collins noted above, with September upon us the team doesn’t need to make a decision when it comes to rostering both, but playing time is another story. Some suggest that the club might well go to a platoon for the rest of the regular season, as Sediki’s numbers against RHP are not particularly strong. But others point to the fact that Saucedo will be coming in cold, and that in a normal situation he’d probably be given at least two weeks on a AAA rehab assignment.
“I’m just happy to be getting back on the field,” Saucedo said. “Nothing’s worse than watching the guys play when you can’t.”