San Francisco Giants drop Tim Lincecum from rotation
By Phil Watson
Freak, out.
Tim Lincecum, who pitched a no-hitter earlier this season and who back-to-back National League Cy Young Awards in 2008 and 2009, has been moved to the bullpen by the San Francisco Giants.
This is the latest in a three-year downward cycle for Lincecum, who is 1-3 with a 9.49 ERA and 2.270 WHIP in his last six starts.
Amy Gutierrez of Comcast Sports Net Bay Area reported the move via Twitter:
Tim Lincecum will be skipped in his next start. Petit gets the nod Thursday. #SFGiants
— Amy Gutierrez (@amygmultimedia) August 25, 2014
Overall this season, Lincecum is 10-9 with a 4.64 ERA and 1.411 WHIP in 26 starts and one relief appearance covering 145.1 innings. With 130 strikeouts, his K rate per nine innings of 8.1 is the lowest of his career.
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Since his last All-Star appearance in 2011, Lincecum is 30-38 with a 4.73 ERA and 1.395 WHIP in 91 starts and a relief appearance.
Lincecum no-hit the San Diego Padres on June 25 and came back with eight shutout innings in a win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
But since getting the final two outs of a 14-inning win at Philadelphia to earn his first career save, he has been ghastly, only getting past the fifth inning in one of his last six starts.
In his last start on Saturday, Lincecum couldn’t get out of the third inning, allowing six runs, four earned, in just 2.2 innings, surrendering six hits and walking four.
Lincecum’s spot in the rotation will go to Yusmeiro Petit, who is 1-2 with a 6.32 ERA and 1.277 WHIP in six starts this season, covering 31.1 innings. But in 27 relief appearances, Petit has a 1.84 ERA and 0.857 WHIP in 49 innings.