Jake Arrieta lasted just four innings in his Philadelphia Phillies debut Sunday. The right-hander was lifted for a pinch hitter after throwing 74 pitches.
Arrieta did not appear to suffer an injury and was in the on-deck circle with his helmet on in the bottom of the fourth.
But with the score tied 3-3 and no runners on base with one out, Phillies manager Gabe Kapler replaced Arrieta with pinch hitter Pedro Florimon. The Phillies went on to lose to the Marlins 6-3.
“I was erratic at first,” Arrieta said. “Got through four innings, pretty crisp in the last three. Very optimistic moving forward.”
Arrieta expects to throw 85 to 90 pitches in his next outing.
“We want to make sure he’s healthy and strong,” Kapler said. “We’re all on the same page. It was a great performance.”
Arrieta made headlines last month when he signed a three-year, $75 million deal with the Phillies, ending his extended stay on the free-agent market.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will sign 13-year NBA veteran Kendrick Perkins with their final roster spot for the playoffs, league sources told ESPN.
Cleveland will sign Perkins on Wednesday, the final day of the regular season, just as it did in 2016 when guard Dahntay Jones was added, and in 2017 when both Jones and center Edy Tavares were added for the Cavs’ playoff run.
McCollum said Portland is still in great position.
“We’re good,” McCollum said. “If you had told me that we have 48 wins and have two games left and a chance to finish in third place, I would have told you I’ll take it. Considering where we’re at, there’s no excuses for injuries and stuff like that, but I feel like we’re heading in the right direction heading to the playoffs. We should be fully healthy or close to fully healthy and I think that will make a difference.”