James McDonald Placed on 15 Day Disabled List by Pittsburgh Pirates

James McDonald has struggled in his last two starts allowing ten earned runs in ten innings pitched.  Today the Pittsburgh Pirates announced that the right-hander will be placed on the 15-day disabled list.

Jeanmar Gomez will get the start tonight against the Mariners.  Josh Harrison had been recalled to take JMac’s spot on the roster.

Here is what we wrote after his last start.

Clint Hurdle Doesn’t Mince Words About JMac

"“It has nothing to do with mechanics. It’s all about intent.”"

Those were the words of Pittsburgh Pirates skipper Clint Hurdle last night after James McDonald got rocked by the Milwaukee Brewers. The days of sugar-coating the once beautiful rainbow that was Pirates starter James McDonald seem a thing of the past.

The right-hander insists he isn’t injured, but the fastball velocity is significantly down and night after night the bad guys light him up. Last night was the Milwaukee Brewers’ turn.

A heated exchange between Ray Searage and well, mainly Ray Searage, on the mound was something Hurdle refused to decipher during the post game interview. Bucs beat writer Tom Singer asked what was said between the Pirates pitching coach and McDonald, to which Hurdle replied – looking Singer dead in his four Gucci-bespectacled eyes:

"That’s something we won’t share."

Okay.

So, is the love affair over? The typical response to a follow up question was missed, so we are left wondering…what is to become of King James?

The Bucs missing link in the second half of the 2012 season hasn’t provided many answers in 2013, either. Over his last two outings (which have totaled just ten innings, by the way), he’s allowed ten earned runs. In those last two outings which lasted just ten innings, he’s walked eight while striking out seven and throwing 189 pitches. JMac is striking out lefties at a prolific rate. Right-handed hitters, well…not so much.

It seems like the more McDonald throws, the worse he becomes.

Let’s trust that ends, because it doesn’t seem like Hurdle is going to hold on much longer.