Mariners place James Paxton (forearm strain) on 10-day DL; 2 players recalled
May 5, 2017, 2:30 PM | Updated: 4:24 pm
James Paxton has landed on the 10-day disabled list with a left forearm strain. (AP)
(AP)
The Mariners have had their fair share of bad luck with injuries in the young 2017 season. On Friday, they got their worst news yet.
Seattle has placed left-handed pitcher James Paxton on the 10-day disabled list with a left forearm strain, making him the latest in a line of key contributors to go on the DL this year. That list has included shortstop Jean Segura (who has since returned), starting pitcher Felix Hernandez and right fielder Mitch Haniger.
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The Mariners also announced Friday they have optioned outfielder Boog Powell to Triple-A Tacoma and recalled infielder Mike Freeman and relief pitcher Evan Marshall to replace Paxton and Powell on the active roster.
Paxton has pitched like an ace in 2017, sitting at 3-0 with a 1.43 ERA and 45 strikeouts over 37 2/3 innings (six starts). His injury is certainly unwelcome news for the Mariners, who have a taxed and shaky bullpen and are already relying on rookie Chase De Jong in Hernandez’s spot in the rotation.
General manager Jerry Dipoto told reporters Friday that Paxton has a Grade 1 strain, which is not a very serious injury, and is expected to miss at least two starts – with two missed starts being the most likely outcome. Paxton started experiencing soreness two starts ago and after feeling discomfort while throwing Wednesday, the decision was made for him undergo an MRI, general manager Jerry Dipoto said.
Talking to reporters Friday, Paxton said he didn’t do himself any favors returning to the mound after a long trip to the plate for the Mariners offense in his April 26 start in Detroit, and soreness returned Tuesday against the Angels.
“I went out and I think I tried to ramp it up a little too quick,” he said. “I felt a little something. But I was fine and I went back pitching and everything worked out fine that game. … In the LA game, it just got tighter and tighter as the game went on. Once I came out of the game, it was pretty sore.
“In the LA game, when it started to hurt when I was throwing, I knew something was wrong.”
Forearm injuries can often be a precursor to elbow issues for pitchers, but Dipoto was optimistic that the injury won’t progress to that.
“It’s a Grade 1 forearm strain and there is no sign of anything else. The ligament’s fine, there is no tear, but we’re gonna be as cautious here as we have to be,” Dipoto said. “We don’t think this is a big or a long-term concern. It’s more of a mild concern but we’re gonna approach it cautiously because he’s very important to what we’re doing. … The fact that he pointed this out to us this early, we dodged a bullet.”
Paxton won’t throw for five days, then will resume his throwing program.
In his last start, Paxton gave up two runs (one earned) in 5 1/3 innings on five hits, but he also walked a season-high five batters. He reached 105 pitches in the outing, the second most he has thrown in a start in 2017. Paxton has long battled injuries in his pro career, a big reason why his career-high in five years since making his MLB debut is 20 starts.
Dipoto said Seattle will call up Christian Bergman, who is set to start Sunday for Tacoma, ahead of Sunday’s game, and either he or Dillon Overton will start in Paxton’s place that day. The 29-year-old Bergman appeared in 55 MLB games, including 15 starts, over the past three years with Colorado.
In other starting rotation news, Dipoto said Hisashi Iwakuma is expected to make his next start after taking a batted ball off his knee earlier this week, and Hernandez could be back in two weeks from his DL stint for right shoulder bursitis.
