Samuel

Gervacio

If Gervacio looks fine, he will avoid a stint on the 15-day disabled list. The right-hander left Saturday’s game in the seventh inning with a right shoulder strain, but already feels better. He has a 13.50 ERA, 2.40 WHIP and a 3/5 K/BB ratio in 3 1/3 innings of relief this season.

Gervacio tossed one-third of an inning on Monday, giving up a bases-loaded single to Chris Young in the seventh. He has been bothered by some shoulder woes in the early going, something that might help to explain his bloated 12.27 ERA over six appearances this season.

Gervacio hasn’t exactly turned in promotion-worthy numbers at Round Rock this season (5.40 ERA, 48/20 K/BB), but has been called up nonetheless. He’ll fill a role in middle relief.

Gervacio was an odd call-up with a 5.40 ERA and a 48/20 K/BB ratio in his time at Fresno and didn’t throw a single pitch with Houston. He could be tried again in September, when rosters expand.

The Astros must see something in Gervacio that we’re all missing. He has a 5.40 ERA and 48/20 K/BB ratio at the Triple-A level and probably won’t fare much better in the bigs. He didn’t make an appearance during his last stay with Houston.

While the attention is on the closer battle between Brandon Lyon and Matt Lindstrom, Gervacio could very well prove to be the Astros’ best reliever. He had a 2.14 ERA in 29 appearances after debuting last year, and he’s allowed just one run and two hits through seven innings this spring. The Astros won’t want to make him a closer right away, but he could be a sleeper candidate for saves as the year goes on.

Great news. Gervacio, 25, will undergo treatment for the next two weeks and could resume pitching soon after that. The Astros placed him on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday and called up Wilton Lopez.

Gervacio threw a bullpen session at Wrigley Field before heading to Round Rock, where he is expected to pitch Monday and Wednesday.

Gervacio grabbed at his right shoulder after an eighth-inning pitch and eventually walked to the dugout with a trainer. He allowed two hits and two unearned runs before departing and registered only one out against the Giants. Chris Sampson entered as his replacement.

It’s not surprising, given Gervacio’s awkward herky-jerky delivery. Shoulder stains are rarely good news for pitchers and he could be out for a while. It’s already getting ugly this year for the Astros.