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Rockies righty pitcher Dinelson Lamet gives a slightly bemused look when he’s reminded that this week he is facing his former team, the Brewers.
Lamet was with Milwaukee for such little time -- one game, Aug. 2 in Pittsburgh, for which he arrived late and didn’t pitch, after being traded from the Padres at the Deadline -- that he politely declined when offered a memento.
“They offered me the jersey, but I wasn’t a part of the team for that long -- I didn’t really contribute,” Lamet said, with bullpen catcher Aaron Muñoz interpreting. “So, for me to take anything, I didn’t think it would be right.”
On Aug. 3, the Brewers decided -- after subsequent trades -- that Lamet was expendable, so they designated him for assignment. Within minutes, the Rockies were researching a waiver claim and made the move on Aug. 5.
In a strange twist, Brewers fans now look at Lamet, 30, as possibly one who got away, because the principal players in the deal have had challenges. Taylor Rogers, who joined Milwaukee via trade, has had mixed results (2-2, 6.08 ERA going into Wednesday). Josh Hader, who went from Milwaukee to San Diego, scuffled to the point of losing the Padres' closer job.
Lamet, meanwhile, went into Wednesday with a 2.25 ERA, 16 strikeouts and four walks in 11 relief appearances with the Rockies. With the Padres, Lamet was a starter who finished fourth in Cy Young Award voting in 2020, but he battled injuries, then wound up in San Diego’s bullpen.
Eligible for arbitration next year, Lamet is in a get-to-know-you phase with the Rockies’ staff.
“There’s still a month left in the season,” Lamet said. “I’m just worrying about finishing the season. We haven’t talked or know the process of what they might want or need next year. I just want to continue the process of finishing strong, going out there and pitching well and see what happens.”
Manager Bud Black also didn’t commit to Lamet’s future role, saying discussions are needed since Lamet could have an interest in competing for next year’s rotation. But he likes the solid fastball and downward-breaking slider.
“If you talk to a lot of Major League hitters, it’s pretty damn good,” Black said. “There’s a swing and a miss in there on the slider, and there’s velocity to the fastball. So you can make reference to a lot of relief pitchers that have two quality pitches, and having those pitches used to get through an inning or two innings.
“He’s a guy that we’re trying to evaluate hard, whether he’s a future reliever and whether he potentially sees himself as a future reliever, as well. There are a lot of conversations about pitching.”
Lamet is happy to be able to have calm conversations with his current club, after a whirlwind experience when the trade and subsequent release happened.
With the Padres, and for a night with the Brewers, Lamet wore No. 29. Before he was designated, Brewers bullpen coach Joe Henderson gave up the number for him. When Lamet arrived with the Rockies, however, reliever Robert Stephenson had it. Stephenson is now with the Pirates, but the Rockies have issued 29 to callup Michael Toglia.
Lamet said he has come to like 32, his new number.
“It’s good luck,” he said.
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