Kevin Gausman is currently experiencing “general fatigue” in his throwing shoulder, as revealed by manager John Schneider to reporters, including Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. Fortunately, an MRI showed no structural damage or injury. While this news brings relief, any discomfort in the shoulder of a pitcher as talented as Gausman raises concerns.
As of now, there are no indications that his availability for Opening Day is at risk. However, the Blue Jays will closely monitor the situation. Additionally, Alek Manoah is dealing with what seems to be minor shoulder soreness.
These issues involve the projected rotation for the Jays, which includes Chris Bassitt, Yusei Kikuchi, and José Berríos in the middle. Bowden Francis is considered a primary option to step in if any of these pitchers are unavailable at the start of the season.
Several other pitching injury scenarios emerged earlier this week:
Tommy Kahnle has not participated in any spring training games thus far. He has been engaging in side sessions, but Yankees manager Aaron Boone suggested that the team is taking a more cautious approach with his progress, especially since he ended the 2023 season on the injured list due to shoulder inflammation (as reported by Greg Joyce of the New York Post).
Boone hinted that Kahnle may not see action on a Grapefruit League mound until late in camp. This raises the possibility of him starting the regular season on the 15-day injured list to allow more time for him to regain full strength. Last season, Kahnle pitched 40 2/3 innings in his return to the Yankees, marking his heaviest workload since 2019. He posted a 2.66 ERA with an impressive 29.1% strikeout rate while serving in a setup role.
Meanwhile, Pirates closer David Bednar is dealing with what appears to be minor tightness in his right lat, according to manager Derek Shelton’s comments over the weekend (as reported by MLB.com). Bednar has not yet pitched in any exhibition games as the team monitors his condition.
Bednar is a crucial component of the Pittsburgh bullpen and is recognized as one of the premier relievers in the sport.
He has maintained a 2.25 ERA over 179 2/3 innings for the Pirates since being acquired in the Joe Musgrove trade. Bednar allowed two earned runs per nine innings over 67 1/3 frames last season, leading the National League with 39 saves.
In today’s Cactus League matchup against the Reds, the A’s removed right-hander Luis Medina from the game in the second inning. Oakland announced that he suffered a sprained right knee and did not provide a timeline for his return.
Medina, a significant component of the Frankie Montas trade, made his MLB debut last season. As a rookie, he started 17 of his 23 appearances, compiling a 5.42 ERA over 109 2/3 innings. Medina is currently competing for the fifth spot in the rotation. Paul Blackburn, JP Sears, and offseason acquisitions Ross Stripling and Alex Wood are the likely candidates for the top four spots. If Medina starts the year on the injured list, Joe Boyle would be the expected choice for the fifth spot.