Collateral Damage Daily for June 14

Kyle Drabek was about 85 pitches into his game when he was forced to leave after feeling a pop in his elbow. Drabek underwent Tommy John surgery while in the minors back in 2007, so it’s possible he could have just broken up some scar tissue. He did pass several postgame tests. Of course, he could have problems with graft, or could suffer from bone chips, sub-acute tendon inflammation, or none to the above. We’ll have to see what the next few days will show; he’ll probably have an MRI.

Yoenis Cespedes was only able to play a few innings before feeling pain in his hamstring; he had to come out. It looks like he will need a trip to the DL. P.J. Walters was also removed from his game early because of right shoulder stiffness. He had trouble getting loose in the pen before the game, and after giving up four straight hits in the first, he was taken out. He’s going to have some more tests to see what’s going on. It sounds like a DL stint is in his future as well.

Brandon McCarthy’s MRI showed no structural damage, which is encouraging, but the Athletics still haven’t made a decision about his start on Saturday.

Additions

• Mike Carp was sent to the 15-day DL yesterday with right shoulder inflammation. This shoulder has been given him trouble since spring training, when he landed on the disabled list with a sprained shoulder. He injured it diving for a ball but stayed in the game back in spring training, so it’s not like he dislocated the shoulder. You can still injure the labrum, though, and hitters can often play through small labrum tears for a while before the wear and tear becomes too much.
• Stephen Pryor was placed on the disabled list yesterday after straining his left groin Tuesday night covering first base. The last few weeks have seen a couple of firsts for Pryor. He got his first MLB win during a no-hitter, and now he’s on the major-league DL for the first time in his career. Relief pitchers with groin strains have averaged 36 days on the DL, so he probably won’t return when he’s eligible on June 28.
• Ian Stewart is heading back to the DL with more problems in his left wrist. He missed 24 days last year because of inflammation in the wrist and has been battling soreness for most of June. Apparently, it got to the point where he couldn’t effectively play through it any longer. He will be eligible to return on June 28.

Subtractions

• Franklin Gutierrez was finally activated from the disabled list following his long recovery from a strained pectoral strain and plantar fasciitis. Gutierrez has not been able to stay healthy the last few years, so he’s not going to be playing every day for the rest of the year. That said, he is expected to become the center fielder. Carp was sent to the disabled list to make room for Gutierrez.