61.15 Blazers Shake Up Pitching Staff

[Bob Breum]

Not quite two months into the season, Montreal has overhauled its pitching staff. Both fifth starter Ricardo Negrete and veteran late inning specialist Stanley Kowalski were placed on waivers, while closer Gerald Rogers was demoted to middle relief. Negrete had made 8 starts, going 1-6 with a 5.32 ERA (79 ERA+). In 13 appearances, Kowalski was 3-3 with a 7.78 ERA (54 ERA+). Rogers was 2-3 with a 7.71 ERA (62 ERA+) in 17 appearances with 5 saves and 3 blown saves.

Rashid Umrani
Montreal added 29-year-old rookie right-handed starting pitcher Rashid Umrani to their 40-man roster and assigned him to the big league rotation. Originally selected in the ninth round of the 2049 GBC amateur draft by Jerusalem, he was signed to a minor league deal by Nashville in 2053. Montreal signed him as a minor league free agent after the 2059 season. At AAA New Jersey this season, he has made 7 starts, going 4-2, with a 3.86 ERA (123 ERA+). He has a three-pitch repertoire: fastball/slider/changeup. His fastball sits around 94-96 mph. Scouts describe his stuff as pedestrian but praise his ability to keep the ball in the park. Expect Umrani to pitch to contact and to depend heavily on his defense.

Augusto Ayala
Augusto Ayala, an offseason free agent signing, was promoted from a setup role to closer. He has made 18 appearances so far this season, going 2-0 with a 1.29 ERA (327 ERA+). Ayala is a 31-year-old righthander who throws a heavy sinker and a four-seam fastball that sits around 97-99 mph. Batters struggle to elevate his pitches.


Joshua Blenkhorn
Assuming the setup role is Montreal veteran Joshua Blenkhorn, who will be rejoining the big league staff after starting the season on the injured list and then rehabbing with AAA New Jersey. The 38-year-old fireplug (5'9" and 200 pounds) has been a mainstay in the Blazers bullpen. Last season, he made 36 appearances, going 4-1 with a 2.48 ERA (172 ERA+). The right-handed sidewinder mixes six pitches, keeping hitters off balance and inducing weak contact.


Randall Cotton
The final addition is 26-year-old rookie Randall Cotton, whom the Blazers signed to a major league deal in the offseason. He is a towering 6'8" right-hander who looks imposing on the mound but is a soft tossing groundballer with four below average offerings. He has plus control and plus movement and like Umrani, will rely heavily on his defense. He is expected to serve primarily in a long relief role but should see some action in later innings in a setup role.