MRI upcoming for Orioles slugger Davis
Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis has been playing through what was thought to be minor elbow soreness during the early games of the Grapefruit League exhibition season.
Now, the club does not know what to think.
Manager Buck Showalter revealed yesterday that Davis was scheduled for an MRI on his right elbow, which has apparently gotten more inflamed and become a matter of much greater concern.
“That elbow is not managing quite like we had hoped,” Showalter said. “He came into (yesterday) sore again. He’s got a little more tenderness than he had in the past. He’s got some concern about it and we want to make sure we know what we’re dealing with.”
Showalter said the soreness is in the flexor area, which isn’t going to put anyone’s mind at ease. It’s
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common for a sore elbow — particularly in the case of an injured pitcher — to be initially diagnosed as flexor strain and then turn out to be a ligament tear.
Davis said earlier this week that the pain was “muscular” and was not of great concern, but he apparently was not so confident of that when the soreness flared up again.
Davis, who signed a seven-year, $161 million contract before the 2016 season, is coming off a disappointing 2017 season during which he missed significant time with an oblique injury. He played in just 128 games and blamed his soft run-production numbers on a lack of aggressiveness at the plate.
Rays lock up Gomez
The Tampa Bay Rays have finalized a $4 million, one-year contract with free agent outfielder Carlos Gomez.
The 32-year-old batted .255 with 17 home runs, 23 doubles, 51 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 105 games for the Texas Rangers last season.
With the Rays, Gomez likely will move into the right-field job vacated when Steven Souza Jr. was traded to Arizona last month.
Strong stuff
Stephen Strasburg didn’t exactly ease into his first Grapefruit League start.
Washington’s big righthander flashed a couple of 98 mph fastballs and threw a few more at 97 in Washington’s 8-1 victory over Houston yesterday.
“Have some dad strength in there,” Strasburg said. “I guess it just shows all the hard work in the offseason, it’s still there. It’s just about being smart and listening to the arm, putting in the work in between starts and keeping it there for the whole season.”
Working back
Scott Kazmir is making progress in his comeback from a hip injury and bid to win a spot in the Atlanta Braves rotation.
The 34-year old lefthander pitched two scoreless innings and worked out of jams during both frames Friday in the Braves’ 5-4 loss to the New York Yankees.
“I wouldn’t say I’m there yet, but I feel like I’m getting better and better, and that’s the progression I would like to have,” Kazmir said.