All you need to know about what happened to MLB pitcher Dinelson Lamet and why is he not playing.
Dinelson Lamet is currently not playing in Major League Baseball because he is a free agent. The Colorado Rockies released the right-handed pitcher after designating him for assignment last week. Given his performance and the terms of his contract, it should not come as a surprise that Lamet will be let go.
After being claimed off waivers from the Brewers the previous year, he and the Rockies came to an agreement on an arbitration salary of $5,000,000 for the 2023 season. However, he hasn’t been able to come anywhere near justifying that expense since then. He has pitched a whopping 11.57 earned run average across 25 2/3 innings across his 16 appearances this year, four of which were starts. Although his strikeout rate of 23.1% is respectable, his walk rate of 16.4% is almost twice as high as the league average rate of 8.7%.
In defense of the Rockies, it should be noted that they staked $5 million on Lamet with the expectation that he would rebound. When the 2020 season was cut short, he posted a 2.09 earned run average for the Padres while also having a 34.8% strikeout rate and a 7.5% walk rate. At one point, he appeared to be on the verge of becoming a future ace. If he had been able to achieve even a fraction of that level of production, he would have been an incredible deal.
However, since that time, he has been experiencing a decline in performance as a result of a combination of injuries and poor play. In 2021, he was only able to pitch 47 innings and finished with a 4.40 earned run average. His earned run average ballooned to 6.12 last season despite the fact that he only pitched 32 and one-third innings. It has continued to rise this year.
As Lamet prepares to enter free agency, the Rockies will continue to be responsible for paying the remaining portion of his salary. He will be able to sign with any of the other 29 clubs, and they will only be liable for paying the prorated league minimum. This amount will be deducted from what the Rockies pay him. Despite the fact that Lamet has had a terrible year in terms of his performance, there may be a team out there that believes there is a way to bring the 30-year-old back to the brilliant form he displayed just a few short years ago.
Dinelson Lamet was not drafted into Major League Baseball (MLB). Instead, he signed with the San Diego Padres as an international free agent in 2014. This marked the beginning of his professional baseball journey. Before his professional career, Lamet attended Escuela Secundaria Leonardo Victorio Lizardi in his hometown of Santiago de los Caballeros, Dominican Republic. His talent as a pitcher caught the attention of scouts, and he was signed by the Padres as an international free agent.
Lamet began his professional career in the Padres’ minor league system. He quickly showcased his electric stuff and struck out batters at an impressive rate. His fastball regularly reached the upper 90s, and he complemented it with a sharp slider and a developing changeup.
In 2017, Lamet made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres. He displayed his ability to generate strikeouts and had an impressive rookie season, posting a 4.57 ERA with 139 strikeouts in 114.1 innings pitched. His powerful arm and swing-and-miss stuff made him an exciting prospect for the Padres’ pitching staff.
Throughout his career, Lamet has battled injuries but has shown flashes of dominance on the mound. His ability to generate strikeouts with his electric stuff and his knack for limiting opponents’ batting averages have made him a valuable asset for the Padres. Nobody knows when will he get his next opportunity in the Majors.
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