As seemed likely after he departed last night’s game with elbow soreness, Astros righty Lance McCullers Jr. was placed on the 15-day DL today. Rookie Joe Musgrove will take his rotation spot, which at least does afford the club an opportunity to give him a reasonable look. That’s rather a dull silver lining, though, as McCullers has arguably been Houston’s best pitcher this year when healthy and remains a critical element of the team’s hopes this year and in the future. McCullers says that he’ll wait at least two weeks before being checked up on, at which point he could resume throwing — if he’s deemed ready. (Via Brian Smith of the Houston Chronicle, on Twitter.)
[Related: Updated Astros Depth Chart]
Here are some more important injury notes from around the game:
- The Phillies have placed righty Aaron Nola on the 15-day DL after he experienced some elbow discomfort, as Ryan Lawrence of the Philadelphia Voice writes. Though there doesn’t appear to be any grave concern, it’s also not clear that Nola will throw again in the majors this year. He’s set to be shut down for at least a week, and if it goes much longer than the team may not see the benefit in trying to ramp him back up for only a few outings.
[Related: Updated Phillies Depth Chart]
- Tigers righty Mike Pelfrey is hitting the disabled list with a back strain, as the team announced. He has thrown 115 1/3 innings of 4.76 ERA ball with 4.1 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 on the year. That’s really not what Detroit thought it was signing up for when it signed Pelfrey to a two-year, $16MM deal as a free agent before the season. Fortunately for the Tigers, the loss of Pelfrey coincides with an even more impactful addition: the return of slugger J.D. Martinez.
[Related: Updated Tigers Depth Chart]
- White Sox outfielder Charlie Tilson will miss the rest of the season after tearing his hamstring in his MLB debut, as Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago tweets. Tilson was only just acquired, in exchange for reliever Zach Duke, and moved straight to Chicago’s major league roster. After recording a hit in his first turn at the plate in the majors, he popped his hammy chasing down a fly ball and now needs surgery. Regarded as a speedy, contact-oriented player, Tilson was set for something of a showcase over the last two months of the season; instead, he’ll have to rehab and look to impress his new team next spring.
[Related: Updated White Sox Depth Chart]
- The Dodgers added two relievers to the 15-day DL, with Louis Coleman (right shoulder) and Adam Liberatore (left elbow) needing a respite. Coleman has been useful for Los Angeles, but the loss of Liberatore, in particular, is notable: he was in the midst of a surprising breakout campaign, with 33 1/3 innings of 1.62 ERA ball. Meanwhile, Los Angeles transferred Clayton Kershaw to the 60-day DL. That’s largely a formality to clear a 40-man spot, as it was already clear that he’d miss at least that much time, but the placement certainly doesn’t change the increasing perception that the game’s best pitcher may not be able to continue what had been his greatest season as a professional. Indeed, it still seems that he has yet to begin throwing.
[Related: Updated Dodgers Depth Chart]
- Yankees southpaw Jacob Lindgren is going to miss all of 2017 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, as George A. King III of the New York Post tweets. The 23-year-old moved quickly to the majors after being drafted in 2014, and looked like an immediate and future piece of the Yankees’ relief picture. Instead, he has managed to throw only seven innings at the High-A level on the year, with more walks than strikeouts (9 to 8) in that span.
I’m pretty sure Pelfreys is a phantom injury, since Boyd has been ok and he’s left handed, also we’re getting Zimmerman back, his Rehab assignment in Toledo is just about up, it was easier to have Pelfrey get some time off and open a rotation spot for Zimmerman with out losing our only Lefty in Boyd
I couldn’t imagine what Detroit expected from Pelfrey. I was surprised he was able to get that contract.
I agree the Pelfrey contract was weird. One year I get as a guy to just eat innings to buy time for the young guys, but two years at that price. I could’ve lived with a second year team option.
Not sure where the Dodgers DL info is coming from since the team doesn’t seem to have made those announcements. As for moving Kershaw to the 60-day, that’s hardly a mere formality because it means even if it is retroactive to the last day he pitched, he won’t be eligible for reinstatement before the end of August. The Dodgers have been totally silent about his situation for weeks so whatever we see has to be rated as a surprise or as a significant development at least.
Unless they were hacked it came from the Dodgers.
twitter.com/Dodgers/status/760959508982083584
LHP Clayton Kershaw has been moved to the 60-day disabled list. He is eligible to return August 27.
It was posted the Dodgers website about a half hour after my post. It definitely wasn’t there when I asked the question.
Dam lindgren to have tommy John surgery that will hurt Yankees depth bullpen
Lindgren isn’t a good reminder that it is all about good health.
Aw man, sad to see Tilson injured right away. As a Cards fan, I always thought he was intriguing as a CF.
So did the White Sox call up the Cards pand scream at them demanding they take the player back?
hahaha at least they have that going for them
When McCullers is your best pitcher that’s a problem, his ERA and strikeout rates might be good… But his WHIP is an unsightly 1.52.
Same ERA with a 1.18 WHIP last year… dude has been rolling lately. Their rotation is definitely a mess, so what you say it partly true, but he got a late start on the season, so a bad start or two exaggerate the #’s a little more than they would otherwise.