The coronavirus has stopped most of the normalcy in our lives including the nba season being suspended, March madness being cancelled and Baseball has been suspended. Stores have announced different hours and Starbucks is going to “to-go” only. In baseball the Texas Rangers along with every other team, are sending most of their players home. It was announced that Joe Palumbo has been optioned to Triple-A Nashville. Palumbo will join Kolby Allard and DeMarcus Evans, who were both optioned earlier this week. This Nashville rotation is going to be top-notch once the season gets underway.
Palumbo, 25, is a left-handed pitcher who spent time at two different levels on the farm in 2019. In Frisco, he started 10 games but pitched in 11. An opener was used for the game he didn’t start.
Joe Palumbo wowed in his Frisco starts with his high-spin rate fast ball. It is up there with the best in baseball.
He had a 3.19 earned run average in 53.2 innings and struck out 69 with a 1.267 WHIP in Frisco.
In Nashville he was even better posting a 2.67 earned run average with a 0.852 WHIP in 27 innings. He struck out 39 and walked 10.
Palumbo made his Major League debut on June 8, 2019, the day the Rangers had a double-header. The Rangers won 10-5 over the Oakland Atletics. Palumbo pitched 4 innings allowing 4 runs on 6 hits and he struck out 4. After the game he was optioned back to Nashville.
He had a 0-3 record with a 9.18 ERA in the Majors.
This spring he pitched 6.1 innings allowing 9 runs on 11 hits, 4 walks and he struck out 5.
I dont put much stock in that personally and think this will be a much better year for Palumbo. As soon as things get back to normal, he will be in Arlington before we know it.
