James Karinchak was, from 2019 to 2023, one of the top strikeout artists in the league with a full-time bullpen role.
Command and consistency were issues at several points, yes, but with a 3.10 career ERA and 253 strikeouts in 165.2 innings, peak Karinchak was as dominant as they come.
Unfortunately for him, he has lost the entire season to this point.
The shoulder problems that affected him in 2022 returned in the spring and forced the team to place him on the 60-day injured list.
He started working out at the Guardians spring training complex in Arizona in early August, but team officials feared he might not be ready to return this season.
That’s still up in the air, but there are some good news to report anyway.
“James Karinchak has joined Columbus on a rehab assignment,” Guardians reporter @JL_baseball tweeted.
James Karinchak has joined Columbus on a rehab assignment
— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) September 5, 2024
Obviously, with such a long period of inactivity, Karinchak not only will need to prove that he is healthy, but he will also need to show consistent command and top-notch stuff to crack the best bullpen in baseball.
The translation to that is that he is likely looking at multiple weeks in Triple-A Columbus before the team makes a decision on him.
Still, the fact that he would add even more upside to an already dominant unit is undeniable.
That upside is contingent on him being in top shape and his arm looking like it did from 2020-23, though.
Will the Guardians risk disrupting the immaculate bullpen chemistry they have built to this point to add more upside to the unit?
NEXT: 3 Guardians Pitchers Went From Roster Longshots To Top Relievers
