Derek Holland's Move To The Bullpen Is All But Certain

“For the most part, I didn’t think it was as bad as it looked,” said Derek Holland after dropping his fourth loss in August to the Minnesota Twins. Unfortunately, it was that bad. The Twins scalded the ball around the park exposing Holland’s mistakes and taking advantage of free passes. Holland lasted five innings while fanning four Twins’ batters and allowing five runs on eight hits. But the Dutch Oven remains positive, the only attitude he can project after a season with meager results.

“I’ve dealt with a lot over the past three years,” Holland said after the game from Target Field. “So, to say that I’m healthy and going as long as I have…the main thing is I’m happy I’m healthy.”

When the southpaw elected to sign with the White Sox over other teams it appeared it was a decision driven by working with Don Cooper, the South Siders’ pitching guru. However, Cooper has not unlocked the success Holland hoped for. On the season, Holland is 7-14 with a 6.16 earned run average and 1.70 walks, hits plus innings pitched (WHIP). Walks have been the Achilles heel for the southpaw and the bullpen could solve or highlight his command issues. Health is the only positive Holland can take away from a sour 2017 campaign. Yet, given his injury-riddled past, it certainly is a focal point for the left-hander. Given the tack in direction the White Sox took in the offseason, Holland fit squarely within the needs of a rebuilding organization, however foolish it was to believe he was the Scott Feldman lottery ticket on the south side. Major league rosters will swell on Friday and it is time to have a conversation about moving Holland to the bullpen. I wrote about the likelihood of such a move earlier this week and after his start on Wednesday, a venture into the bullpen seems more necessary than ever. Reynaldo Lopez is slated to return from the D.L. on Friday and Holland is the likely candidate. If Rick Hahn can pull off a last-minute trade through waivers for either Miguel Gonzalez or James Shields, Holland could find a second wind as a starter, but this is highly unlikely even if a trade is executed. If Holland is not swapped for Lopez, Tyler Danish and Carson Fulmer could bump him once the rosters expand on Friday. Rick Renteria sunk the idea of expanding the rotation before Wednesday’s game. Yet, if Renteria sticks to a five-man rotation Shields seems to be the next victim in the rotation.