FanShot

Raul Valdes To Start For The Phillies on Wednesday

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With a doubleheader this past Sunday and injuries to their rotation, the Phillies have been uncertain about how their starters were going to line up for the back half of the Pirates series. It appears that they have settled 34-year old Cuban lefthander Raul Valdes to take the ball on Wednesday. Valdes' numbers are Aroldis Chapman-esque (before he ran into the Barmes/McKenry buzzsaw) so far this year. He has appeared in 12 games and pitched 14.2 innings, giving up eight hits and one walk to go with 17 strikeouts for an ERA of 1.84 and a WHIP of 0.614. This will only be Valdes' second career start, his other coming with the Mets his first year in the majors in 2010, so I can't imagine he will go more than three innings. It will be interesting to watch Charlie Manuel manage an all-hands-on-deck situation for the Phillies. James McDonald goes for the Pirates. Advantage good guys. Update: More on the Phillies staff issues.