The San Francisco Giants and New York Mets opened the 2015 season with victories on Monday, but both clubs are now dealing with injuries to key pitchers. The MLB Injury Report already has some big names on it.
Madison Bumgarner returned to the mound on Monday night and helped the Giants to a victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. That was the good news.
The bad news is that fellow starting pitcher Matt Cain went for an MRI last night because he was feeling tightness in his right forearm, according to Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area, which is concerning since he underwent elbow surgery last season.
The MRI revealed a flexor tendon strain and the right-hander is expected to take a few days off. Although team trainers are optimistic about the injury and believe it's a "two week thing," it's certainly nothing to brush off considering Cliff Lee suffered a similar injury that has kept him sidelined since last July. Cain was said to have been experiencing forearm tightness during spring training, but team trainers told him it's nothing to worry about.
"He felt it a little bit the last couple days," manager Bruce Bochy told Andrew Baggerly of the San Jose Mercury News. "There's got to be some concern if there's some tightness. We have been slow-playing him so if the right thing is to not let him start, that's what we'll do."
"It is definitely frustrating but it kind of goes with the territory that there will be bumps in the rehab process and this is one of them," added Cain. "We'll just have to deal with it and move forward."
On the East Coast, the New York Mets are dealing with similar issues regarding their closer. Jenrry Mejia was unavailable in yesterday's game against the Washington Nationals because he was experiencing elbow stiffness, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The right-hander was warming up in the top of the ninth inning on Monday, but couldn't continue because of the discomfort.
As a result, the 25-year-old will undergo an MRI on Tuesday, according to Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal. This is not good news for a bullpen that was already in flux. Lefty reliever Josh Edgin underwent Tommy John surgery this offseason and will miss the entire season and closer Bobby Parnell should be back soon after undergoing the same procedure at the beginning of 2014. Hopefully the acquisitions of relievers Jerry Blevins and Alex Torres pay off for the Mets.
Mejia agreed to a one-year, $2.595 million deal to avoid arbitration this offseason after going 6-6 with a 3.65 ERA, 1.484 WHIP, 28 saves and 98 strikeouts in 63 games (93 2/3 innings) in 2014. New York will need some good news from this MRI if they want to ensure the success of their bullpen.
UPDATE: According to the New York Mets Twitter account, Mejia was diagnosed with posterior elbow inflammation following his MRI and will be placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Apr. 5. He will be unable to pitch competitively for 10 days and will be replaced by RHP Erik Goeddel on the active roster.
