By George Farelli
Canadian Baseball Network

Many a pitcher has been given the news from a doctor, a sentence which contains two impactful words:

“Well, it looks like you are going to need TOMMY JOHN surgery.”

Evan Grills heard those words and on May 17, 2017 the Colorado Rockies farmhand underwent surgery, performed by Dr. Thomas Noonan.

After the loneliness of rehab, Grills made his return roughly 11 months later June 6 this spring for the double-A Hartford Yard Goats. He allowed five runs in 4 2/3 innings against the Erie SeaWolves.

In his fourth start since returning, Grills worked six scoreless as Hartford blanked the Richmond Flying Squirrels 5-0. Grills gave up six hits, walking three and striking out three. as he and the bullpen held Richmond 0-for-15 with runners in scoring position before 6,093 at Dunkin’ Donuts Park.

For that effort Grills earned Canadian Baseball Network minor league Player of the Week for Week XII. He’s the best of the 114 Canucks playing in the minors or in Indy ball. 

Grills threw 91 pitches (58 strikes) in his outing as he retired seven ground ball outs and three fly ball outs. Grills is now 2-1, 2.75, with his first win coming against Erie as he threw five scoreless. 

In 2016, he spent time at three levels in Houston Astros organization -- at triple-A Fresno Grizzlies, double-A Corpus Christi Hooks and class-A Lancaster JetHawks -- going 9-8 in 24 games with 19 starts. He had a 3.71 ERA walking 23 and striking out 100 in 135 2/3 innings. Included were 21 games (eight starts) at Fresno.

Grills, a former Ontario Blue Jay, currently has a 33-25 and four saves, with a 4.12 ERA in 139 games, making 62 starts. He has walked 108 and struck out 367 in 499 2/3 innings. 

He was selected in the 10th round in 2010 by Astros scout John Kosciak.

Best offensive performances
Player/Class/Team     AB   R   H   HR   RBI   AVG
J.D. Osborne - A Batavia         21   4   10    -     5   .476
Eric Senior - Rkie GCL Nationals   15   2    6    -     2   .400
Andrew Yerzy - A Hillsboro        23   2   9    1    3   .391
Adam Hall - A Aberdeen          22   4   8    -     4   .363
Malik Collymore - A Dayton       14   2   5    1    4   .357
Tyler O’Neill - AAA Memphis      17   6   6    1    5   .353
Demi Orimoloye - A Carolina      20   3   7    -     3   .350
Jim Adduci - AAA Toledo          26   4   9    1    4   .346
Abraham Toro - A Buies Creek     21   5   7    2    3   .333
Bruce Yari - A Daytona           21   3   7    -     -   .333
Tanner Kirwer - A Vancouver       22   1   7    -     2   .318
Jacob Robson - AA Erie           20   6   6    1    5   .300
 
Danny Beaver - IND Santa Fe      14    4   6    -     1   .429
Josh Williams - IND White Sands   27   10  11   3    8   .407
 
(Minimum 10 AB’s)
 
Best pitching performances
 
EVAN GRILLS  LHP  -  HARTFORD YARD GOATS
APP  IP  H  R  ER  BB  K  W-L  SV  WHIP  WK ERA
1   6.0  6   -   -    3   3   1-0    -   1.50    0.00
 
In terms of a ball season, because he was activated from the disabled list in the first week of June, Evan Grills is still at the very beginning. On June 25th he made his fourth start for Hartford, and it was a 5-0 win over Richmond Flying Squirrels. He pitched six scoreless, allowing six base hits while striking out three Richmond hitters, to earn his second win of the season. His record with the Yard Goats now stands at 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA. 

ROWAN WICK  RHP  -  AA  SAN ANTONIO MISSIONS
APP   IP   H  R  ER  BB  K  W-L  SV  WHIP  WK ERA
3   2.1   -   -   -    1   2    -    1    0.48    0.00  
 
As expected, Rowan Wick has assumed a heavy load working out of the bullpen for the Missions this year, and this week he made three more solid appearances. On June 20th in a 1-0 loss to Corpus Christi Hooks he threw one hitless, scoreless inning, while striking out two Corpus Christi hitters, but was not involved in the decision. On June 21st he worked a scoreless outing in 5-2 victory over Midland Rockhounds pitching 1/3 of an inning and was credited with his 11th hold of the season. On June 23rd in a 2-0 shutout of Midland he tossed a scoreless inning, again gave up zero hits and to earn his fourth save of the year. His overall record with San Antonio in 28 Texas League relief appearances, now stands at 2-4, four saves, 11 holds and a very good 3.26 ERA.
 

ANDREW ALBERS  LHP  -  JAPAN ORIX BUFFALOES
 APP   IP   H  R  ER  BB  K  W-L  SV  WHIP  WK ERA
1   5.1   5   2   2    2   3   1-0   -    1.37    3.53   
 
A free agent signing in the off season, Andrew Albers has been a model of consistency as a starter for the Orix Buffaloes in Japan’s Pacific League. On June 26th this week he had another good outing in a 4-2 win over Saitama Seibu Lions, as he pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up five hits and two earned runs while striking out three Lions batters, to earn his ninth win of the season. His overall record with Orix in 12 starts, is now 9-1 with an excellent 2.61 ERA. His nine wins tie him for second most in the Pacific League

Canadian Baseball Network Players of the Week

Week 1 _ OF Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Memphis (Cards) and Josh Naylor (Mississauga, Ont.) San Antonio (Padres).
Week II _ RHP Jordan Romano (Markham, Ont.) New Hampshire (Blue Jays).
Week III _ RHP Mike Soroka (Calgary, Alta.) Gwinett (Braves).
Week IV _ RHP Brock Dykxhoorn (Goderich, Ont.) Corpus Christi (Astros).
Week V _ 3B Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) New Hampshire (Jays).

Week VI _ RP Phillippe Aumont (Hull, Que.) Toledo (Tigers)
Week VII _ 3B Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) New Hampshire (Jays).
Week VIII _ RHP Curtis Taylor (Coquitlam, BC) Montgomery (Rays)
Week IX _ RHP Cal Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) San Antonio (Padres)
Week X _ 3B Abraham Toro-Hernandez (Longueuil, Que,) Buise Creek (Astros) and 2B Charles Leblanc (Lavall, Que.) Down East Wood (Rangers).

Week XI _ C Andrew Yerzy (Toronto, Ont.) Hillsboro (Diamondbacks).
Week XII _ LHP Evan Grills (Whitby, Ont.) Hartford (Rockies).