Many of you may have noticed that Phil Irwin hasn’t pitched in the minors since his Major League debut. The Pirates optioned Irwin back down to Triple-A 11 days ago, but he has yet to appear in a game with Indianapolis.
I checked on his status and learned that Irwin had some arm fatigue. The Pirates decided to give him some extra rest as a result. There’s no date for Irwin to return, but he’s also not on the Triple-A disabled list. He’s not listed among the scheduled starters over the next four games, with Kyle Waldrop taking his place in the rotation.
The arm fatigue isn’t something that should just be ignored. Irwin has had arm issues in the past. He had Tommy John surgery in college, and a few minor injuries that cost him time in his pro career. That includes a forearm injury during the 2011 Arizona Fall League, which he aggravated in Spring Training last year, causing him to miss the start of the season.