D-backs Call up Luis Frias, Cole Sulser to 15 Day Injured List
The Arizona Diamondbacks made the following roster moves:
Recalled RHP Luis Frías from Triple-A Reno.
Placed RHP Cole Sulser (strained right Teres Major) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive April 6)
Sulser was selected off waivers from the Miami Marlins in November. Arbitration eligible, he came to agreement with the team on a $825,000 contract, avoiding an arbitration hearing. Sulser has a career 3.83 ERA in 128 games, 131 innings. Most of his positive production came in 2021 while with the Orioles when he posted a 2.70 ERA in 63 innings of work.
Sulser had a good spring training, allowing just two earned runs in nine innings. He did walk six batters however. Nonetheless both his experience and contract status gave him a leg up in making the opening day roster.
His outings so far in the 2023 regular season had been shaky. Getting into two games in the series last week in Los Angeles, he allowed homers in both games while giving up three runs in three innings. He managed a scoreless outing in San Diego April 3rd, going 1.1 innings without giving up a hit or a run, but he walked two batters. This move comes as somewhat of a surprise as when asked yesterday if there were any health concerns with any players, manger Torey Lovullo declined to identify any issues with Sulser.
Torey Lovullo indicated that Sulser will be out at least several weeks.
Frias received call ups in both 2021 and 2022 with the D-backs. Featuring high 90's heat and a slider, Frias can be dominating when throwing strikes. He profiles as the type of power pitcher the D-backs have been trying to rebuild their bullpen around. Unfortunately throwing strikes has been a major challenge for the big right hander from the Dominican Republic. In 20.1 major league innings he has 22 walks. In spring training this year he walked five batters in 7.1 innings. He'd worked in just two games so far this year for Reno prior to today's call up, and had yet to issue a free pass.