Griffin: Morrow injury sets Jays rotation for Opening Day
It's not exactly what the Jays had in mind, but the club's rotation is now set for Opening Day. Righthander Brandon Morrow has suffered a right forearm strain and will be placed on the diabled list, retroactive to March 23. He will be shut down for the next five days, meaning he will miss at least the first week of the regular-season schedule. Morrow had been slated to pitch in a minor-league game on Wednesday and was to pitch on Saturday, April 2, at the Rogers Centre. He will travel north with the team.
“Brandon was just making his case that he feels good,” Jays' GM Alex Anthopoulos said. “It's one of those things where we're being extra cautious. Especially with the ability to backdate the disabled list. Really, we're talking about him missing a start. He is adamant that he can go. We just want to let everything calm down for four or five days. Why try to rush when it's only one start.”
The injury to Morrow leaves all three starting candidates, Kyle Drabek, Jesse Litsch and Jo-Jo Reyes as opening day members of the five-man starting rotation, joining Ricky Romero and Brett Cecil. Drabek will be inserted in the two-hole between Romero and Cecil, while the lefthander Reyes goes fourth, with Litsch in the five-spot.
“Right now, the competition is over for the time being,” Anthopoulos said.
The Jays already planned on establishing a cap on Morrow's innings, since he only threw 146-1/3 innings last year. The early season missing of a start is not an issue to his final count.
This gives Litsch, Drabek and Reyes an opportunity to show what they got in a "real game" which makes me wonder if that added to the decision to be extra cautious.
This team is ready to roll this year and I don't see this as being of major concern: http://bit.ly/gs2KuK
Posted by: @2011mnbatigers | March 23, 2011 at 03:12 PM
Heard some reports that this was an inflammation? Do you know when this happened, was it linked to his last start?
Posted by: Pablo | March 23, 2011 at 04:05 PM