Dodgers @ Mets July 25, 2015: The Zach Lee Era Has Begun

After a brief cameo last week, the moment is finally here: Zach Lee is making his major-league debut tonight, starting in place of the recently-optioned Brandon Beachy (and even-more-recently-optioned Ian Thomas). I won’t pretend to know anything more than what Dustin wrote back in April, but it’s exciting to see the 2010 first round pick in major league action for the first time.

Numbers-wise, Lee appears to be enjoying the move from Albuquerque to Oklahoma City, as his ERA has rebounded from 5.38 last year to 2.36 this season. His FIP is 3.62, much higher than this year’s ERA, but for the PCL that’s still pretty good. The league-average ERA (and, by definition, FIP) is 4.36 and Lee now plays in a run-neutral park. His strikeout rate (18.6%) is a bit low, but his walk rate has gone from 8.1% last year to 5.2% this year. That type of control could have the potential to stick in the big leagues, though the lack of resolution to his circulation issues is a bit concerning. This may be a spot start, though, as Brett Anderson‘s injury appears to not be serious, Mike Bolsinger has been performing too well to be demoted, and another starter is probably on his way (perhaps Cole Hamels, who just became the first pitcher to no-hit the Cubs in almost 50 years).

Also, stirrups.

Lee’s opponent is the formidable Matt Harvey, who has been sputtering a bit since the Dodgers pushed him around on the fourth of July. Still, he has been quite good this year on the whole. Harvey will be facing a lineup that’s mostly at full strength, though at first it did not appear that way. At first, the lineup lacked Adrian Gonzalez, who apparently has a stiff neck (which brings back memories of Gonzalez straining his neck after colliding with/hugging an umpire in 2013). He’s probably not at 100%, so hopefully playing today does not injure the neck further (which brings back memories of many days off and on after the injury in 2013). Notably, Yasiel Puig also has the night off. I like Carl Crawford just fine, but hopefully Puig’s rest isn’t more than occasional and Crawford’s playing time comes more at the expense of Andre Ethier than Puig.

Speaking of Puig, here is a video of him playing third base:

Remember when Juan Uribe was struggling two years ago and everyone asked if Yasiel Puig could play third base? Behold http://t.co/O05SVQCGAe

— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) July 25, 2015

He probably isn’t worse than Alberto Callaspo.