Notes: Wilson skipped in rotation
Pitcher being given a few days to 'get things right'
By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com
CINCINNATI -- Paul Wilson's "extra day" of rest will turn out to be much more than that.
Wilson's turn in the rotation is being skipped altogether, as he won't get the ball in the three-game series against the Nationals this week at Great American Ball Park.
The Reds will instead give starts to left-hander Eric Milton on Monday, left-hander Brandon Claussen on Tuesday and right-hander Aaron Harang on Wednesday.
Beyond that, the rotation is listed as "TBA."
Wilson, who hasn't recorded a win since April 20 and whose ERA is an unhealthy 7.77, didn't have much to say when asked about the decision to skip him. But he clearly was less than pleased.
"All I can tell you is they're giving me a few days to get things right," he said.
Though he's reported no physical problems, the 32-year-old Wilson's velocity has been sinking. In his last outing against the Mets on May 16, in which he gave up six earned runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings, his fastball only hit 88 mph on the radar once or twice and usually hovered around 86 mph.
Because Wilson, the Reds' Opening Day starter, prides himself on getting the starting nod every fifth day, this move can't be sitting well with him.
But manager Dave Miley said it's necessary.
"We're just giving him the opportunity to get right," Miley said.
All appears to be right with Claussen, who will take the mound for the first time since spraining his left ankle on May 10 against the Padres. He suffered the injury when he fell awkwardly while getting pegged with a hard line drive off the bat of Carlos Hernandez.
Claussen (1-3, 4.71 ERA) had been pitching pretty well before the injury in that outing, giving up just three hits over 3 1/3 scoreless innings.