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What happened to Luis Ortiz stinks

What happened to Luis Ortiz stinks

Does anyone remember Luis Ortiz? The rock back move, the short “stache” and the GIF Absolutely Hammered posts I can’t put here? He played for the Phillies this season and was even on the Opening Day roster. There’s a chance his baseball career is over.

2024 stats: 1 game, 27.00 ERA, 0.2 innings, 3 hits, 2 earned runs

*Doofenshmirtz voice*

Long story short: Aaron Nola was traded by the Atlanta Braves when their team was still healthy. Max Fried was robbed by the home plate umpire because a fastball right down the middle was called a ball and the mood was bad.

After Nola’s performance in the fifth round, Luis Ortiz was tasked with cleaning up. He took a double hit from Travis d’Arnaud but sprained his ankle after jumping and landing on the ground.

Ortiz was strong enough to retire for the sixth time, but was pulled back after giving up two singles from Jared Kelenic and Ronald Acuña Jr.

After a few rehab appearances in June, Rob Thomson announced that he would have to undergo Tommy John surgery.

Ortiz is neither the first nor the last pitcher to need Tommy John surgery, but it still stinks. It stinks even more because he was talented and there was a way here.

Here are the following pitchers who made the Phillies Opening Day roster in 2024

  • Jose Alvarado
  • Jeff Hoffman
  • Matt Strahm
  • Seranthony Dominguez
  • Gregory Soto
  • Junior Marte
  • Connor Brogdon
  • Luis F. Ortiz

The other seven guys didn’t have much multi-inning experience. Brogdon had a few moments but was experiencing a sharp drop in speed at this point, Marte didn’t have the command for it and the others were used as leverage players.

Even if Taijuan Walker came back, there would still be a chance for Ortiz. He had the talent to make you believe he could run with it.

According to Fangraph’s Stuff+ model, Ortiz’s sweeper performed better than Orion Kerkering’s in 2023. His sinker was between 94 and 96 and he was able to throw it for strikes. He also showed a plus curveball and a solid changeup.

He didn’t knock out many people, but he didn’t try to either. He played in low-leverage bets and only had to throw strikes. Ortiz did this solidly in 2023 with a 3.32 ERA and 3.04 FIP in 19 innings.

Ortiz’s Phillies career was short-lived, like several others The Good Phight will write about. You may not remember Luis Ortiz, just like you don’t remember Aramis Garcia. The difference between Oritz and Garcia is that Ortiz had the talent to produce, but his body got in the way.