Since the acquisition of Michael Lorenzen, manager Rob Thomson has employed a six-man starting rotation that has provided some solid benefits over the last couple weeks.
Taijuan Walker’s velocity was trending downward since the All-Star break, so Thomson gave him nine days to see if some extra rest would do the trick. And, it has. Then Suarez hit the injured list with a balky hamstring which, without a sixth starter, would have been a big problem. But once Suarez returns, Thomson says he plans to return to a five-man rotation during the week of September 11. When they do, he will have to remove one of his six starters from the rotation and into the bullpen.