Eleven days after he was optioned back to Columbus, Frank Herrmann was recalled Sunday.
Herrmann spent most of the season in the Clippers’ bullpen, compiling a 2-2 record, eight saves and a 4.78 earned-run average. From Aug. 22 to 29, he was with the Tribe and pitched in four games, giving up three runs in 5⅔ innings.
Over the past month, Herr-mann has been working on a curveball to supersede his slider. His problem has been developing an effective secondary pitch to go with his 94-mile-per-hour fastball.
AMONG THE MISSING – Asdrubal Cabrera (sore wrist) is expected to play today against the Tigers, but Chris Perez won’t rejoin the team until Tuesday because of the birth of his daughter, Madelyn, on Saturday.
“Asdrubal will play tomorrow,’’ manager Manny Acta said Sunday. “He just needed two days’ rest. Chris is entitled to three days and he’s spending it with his family.’’
That means if the Tribe needs a closer today, Vinnie Pestano will be the man.
FORTUITOUS SUBSTITUTION – Ian Kinsler was scratched from the lineup because of back pain, which left the door open for the Rangers’ 19-year-old prospect Jurickson Profar to start at second in his major-league debut.
Profar homered in his first at-bat and doubled in his second.
“He’s pretty impressive,’’ Acta said. “I saw him in instructional league. He looks like he’s been there, done that and that’s at 19 years old.’’
Profar is the youngest player to hit a home run since Adrian Beltre, who did it on Sept. 25, 1998. Beltre was two weeks younger than Profar. According to Elias Sports, Profar is the third teenager ever to hit a home run in his first at-bat, joining Whitey Lockman for the New York Giants in 1945 and Ted Tappe for the Reds in 1950.
FARM FACTS – Vinny Rottino hit his ninth home run of the year as Columbus beat Louisville 5-1. Matt Packer (1-4, 5.50 ERA) gave up one run and five hits in eight innings…. Jake Lowery had a double and two singles in Lake County’s 3-2 win over Lansing.
— Sheldon Ocker
