Deolis Guerra

WTM’S PIRATE PLAYER PROFILES

2006
A:  6-7-0, 2.20 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 81.2 IP, 4.1 BB/9, 7.1 K/9
A+:  1-1-0, 6.14 ERA, 2.05 WHIP, 7.1 IP, 7.4 BB/9, 6.1 K/9

The Mets sent Guerra to low A, a very aggressive assignment.  He pitched well there, with opponents batting only .208 against him.  His walk and K rates weren’t impressive, but he was a 17-year-old pitching in full season ball.

2007
A+:  2-6-0, 4.01 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 89.2 IP, 2.5 BB/9, 6.6 K/9

Guerra spent the season in high A and pitched well, especially for an 18-year-old and better than the ERA indicates.  After the season, Baseball America rated him the 35th best prospect in baseball as well as the second best in the Mets’ system.  In February, though, the Mets sent him to Minnesota in the big trade for Johan Santana.

2008
A+:  11-9-0, 5.47 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 130.0 IP, 4.9 BB/9, 4.9 K/9

The Twins sent Guerra back to high A and he took a huge step backward.  His delivery deteriorated, his velocity dropped to the mid- to upper-80s, and he walked as many as he fanned.  He developed a reputation for lacking aggressiveness and falling back too much on the change.

2009
A+:  6-8-0, 4.69 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 86.1 IP, 2.6 BB/9, 5.9 K/9
AA:  6-3-0, 5.17 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 62.2 IP, 2.4 BB/9, 7.0 K/9

The Twins sent Guerra back to high A again and he made some progress.  His control improved and his fastball rebounded to 89-90.  Despite the ERA, he pitched better in AA the last two months, including a much better K rate.  Probably due to the change, he was much more effective against left-handed than right-handed batters, with the two hitting .222 and .305, respectively, against him.  The Twins added him to their 40-man roster after the season.

2010
AA:  2-10-0, 6.24 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 102.1 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 5.9 K/9
AAA:  0-3-0, 6.84 ERA, 1.72 WHIP, 25.0 IP, 2.9 BB/9, 6.5 K/9

After Guerra pitched well in his first five starts in AA, the Twins promoted him to AAA.  He struggled through five games there, went back to AA, and struggled there for the rest of the season.

2011
AA:  8-7-1, 5.55 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 95.0 IP, 2.7 BB/9, 9.0 K/9

Back in AA again, Guerra continued to struggle through ten starts, at which point the Twins moved him permanently to the bullpen.  As a starter he had an ERA of 9.00, WHIP of 1.88, and K/9 of 6.3.  As a reliever he had an ERA of 2.77, WHIP of 0.94, and K/9 11.3.  His velocity in relief improved to 92-94 and he pitched more aggressively.  BA rated him the Twins’ 15th best prospect after the season.

2012
AA:  2-0-1, 0.71 ERA, 0.47 WHIP, 12.2 IP, 0.7 BB/9, 10.7 K/9
AAA:  2-3-0, 4.87 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 57.1 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 8.8 K/9

Guerra dominated in seven appearances in AA to start the season, so the Twins moved him up to AAA.  He wasn’t nearly as effective there.  The Twins outrighted him to AAA after the season.

2013
R:  0-1-0, 4.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 4.0 IP, 2.2 BB/9, 6.8 K/9

In March, Guerra suffered an arm injury that caused a blood clot.  The injury kept him out all year, apart from three rehab appearances in late August.  Guerra became a free agent after the season but re-signed with the Twins.

2014
AAA:  2-2-0, 4.33 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 52.0 IP, 3.1 BB/9, 9.3 K/9

Guerra spent the season pitching in relief in AAA.  He was only moderately effective, although his walk rate was good and his K rate very good.

2015
AAA:  2-1-4, 1.23 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 36.2 IP, 2.0 BB/9, 9.1 K/9
MLB:  2-0-0, 6.48 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 16.2 IP, 1.6 BB/9, 9.2 K/9

Guerra started 2015 in the Indianapolis bullpen, where he pitched extremely well.  Opponents batted just .165 against him, and he had great walk and K rates.  He attributed the improvement to improvement in his command of his offspeed stuff.  When Rob Scahill went on the disabled list in late June, the Pirates called Guerra up.  He pitched scoreless ball in his first four outings, but struggled after that.  The team designated him for assignment as part of a series of trade deadline roster moves.  Cleveland claimed Guerra off waivers, but the claim was rescinded when the Indians learned he had left knee inflammation, which may have accounted for his struggles before being DFA’d.  Guerra was returned to the Pirates and placed on the disabled list.  The Pirates transferred Guerra to the 60-day disabled list when they called Pedro Florimon up on September 2.

Not surprisingly, considering that they tried to DFA him earlier, the Pirates outrighted Guerra to AAA after the regular season ended.  He elected free agency, but then signed again with the Pirates six weeks later.  He got an invitation to spring training, but most likely will open in the AAA bullpen.