Ryan

Tucker

Tucker made five appearances with the Rangers in 2011, but spent the majority of the year with Triple-A Round Rock, posting a 5.40 ERA and 64/31 K/BB ratio over 68 1/3 innings. The 25-year-old right-hander is unlikely to secure a roster spot during spring training.

Tucker has given up four earned runs in five starts and is now 4-4 with a 3.53 ERA, 73 H and 49/22 K/BB in 74 IP for Jupiter. The 2005 supplemental first-round pick has a very good fastball, but he’s yet to develop a strikeout breaking ball. Unless that changes, he might end up in the pen.

The Palm Beach Post reported today that Tucker was placed on the disabled list following the outing, though the paper doesn’t know what the injury is yet.

The 2005 first-round pick had struggled thus far this season with a 17.36 ERA in 4 2/3 innings for New Orleans. He could be ready to rejoin the rotation in late June.

That should be good enough to get him back into Florida’s rotation next week. Ryan Tucker is the favorite to be replaced, though Mark Hendrickson is also vulnerable.

Chris Iannetta had a controversial two-run homer in the six-run fourth inning, but it would have been a double if the call had gone the other way and there’s little reason to think the inning would have turned out much differently. His real mistake was giving up a two-out single to pitcher Jorge De La Rosa. The Rockies scored four more times after that. The poor outing would seem to guarantee that he’ll lose his spot to make room for Josh Johnson in Florida’s rotation. Had he pitched well tonight, there’s a chance he could have been kept, with Mark Hendickson getting sent to the pen.

Tucker will start Sunday against the Reds. It was Burke Badenhop’s scheduled outing, but he was needed as a reliever in Saturday’s game. Tucker has been off to a great start in the minors this season with a 1.41 ERA in 12 starts. Still, he’s a risky option in any fantasy league.

The nerves of his first major league start probably got to him a little as he walked five and hit a batter, but Tucker’s stuff looked excellent while striking out six and allowing just two hits. Today’s outing could prompt the Marlins to keep Tucker in the rotation over Burke Badenhop, but they may also prefer Tucker get some more seasoning in the minors. A decision will come early this week.

Tucker pitched out of the pen for Carolina after his demotion from the majors in July and was quite effective, amassing a 2.14 ERA in 21 innings. No one should be giving up on him as a starter just yet, but he is one of the possibilities to turn into Florida’s long-term closer. He’ll be in the pen for the rest of this month.

Both of Tucker’s major league losses have come at the Rays’ fins. He gets Washington, Colorado (in Coors Field) and San Diego in his remaining starts before the break. It will be tempting to use him in NL-only leagues in two of those anyway. How he performs will determine whether he keeps his spot with Josh Johnson and Burke Badenhop potentially returning for the second half.