Mariners lose Stephen Pryor
Apr 15, 2013, 4:33 PM | Updated: 5:00 pm
By Shannon Drayer
The Mariners have placed reliever Stephen Pryor on the 15-day disabled list with what has been diagnosed as a tear in his right lat. A corresponding roster move will be announced before tomorrow’s game, which begins at 7:10 p.m.
What we don’t know is the severity of the tear. Without trying to speculate too much I would imagine that this is more than a minimal strain (technically, all strains involve some muscle tearing) as the release stated specifically that there is a tear.
It is impossible to say how long he will miss with the information we have been given but there is a slight positive in that he was not placed on the 60-day DL. That move would enable the team to put another player on the 40-man roster, but then, of course, Pryor would have to be kept out the full 60 days.
Options to replace Pryor on the 40-man roster are slim. Lucas Luetge could be recalled as he would be replacing an injured player but that leaves the Mariners with four lefties. Yoervis Medina is right handed and has pitched in multiple bullpen roles, but up until recently has not been terribly consistent. And Chance Ruffin is converting to a starter. It most likely is too soon to call up Carson Smith, who has great stuff but is not on the 40-man roster and has only just been promoted to Double-A this spring.
The Mariners may have to look elsewhere for bullpen help, and make no mistake, Pryor’s stuff cannot be replaced. He has been the most consistent arm out of the pen so far this season.
Tough break for Pryor and the Mariners.
