Not that the crappy Seattle Mariners have many save opportunities, but the club will be without closer J.J. Putz through the weekend and probably longer after it was learned the All-Star has a hyperextended pitching elbow, a swollen triceps tendon and nerve irritation in his right arm.
But other than that.
Putz, who has struggled for much of this season, has already missed 18 games with a ribcage injury and has also had knee and finger pain. He was removed from Wednesday's win at Toronto in the ninth inning after shaking his pained arm following a pitch.
The team physician said his exam showed no damage to the ulnar collateral ligament or the flexor bundle in his right elbow - injuries that likely would have sidelined Putz for months, if not the rest of the season.The Mariners have elected not to place the right-hander on the disabled list, instead giving him off for their weekend series, a three-game interleague matchup in Washington against the Nationals. He will be re-evaluated on Monday.
Putz has a 5.21 ERA with 17 walks and three blown saves in 20 games this season. He had a 1.38 with 13 walks and 40 saves in 42 chances last year.
Right-hander Brandon Morrow, who replaced Putz Wednesday and got the save, is the likely interim closer, although he has been dealing with shoulder soreness. He's been on a roll (one run in 14 games) and has struck out 11 of the past 22 batters he's faced.
Morrow doesn't have a lot of ninth-inning experience, so if he struggles, Miguel Batista could get a look. He had been dropped from the starting rotation and has experience as a closer, although that was in 2005 with the Blue Jays.
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