If the Mariners (83-72) reach the postseason, they will not have Roenis Elias available to pitch. The club Monday shut down the rookie for the remainder of the season after an MRI confirmed an initial diagnosis that Elias is suffering from a strained flexor bundle in his left elbow.
The Mariners also removed starter Chris Young from his scheduled start Thursday in Toronto but did not name a replacement.
Elias, who made 29 starts working out of the middle of Seattle’s rotation, will not begin throwing again for four to six weeks.
Elias went 10-12 with a 3.85 ERA in his 29 starts. He threw 163.2 innings with a 1.34 WHIP. Elias delivered his best performance June 1 against Detroit, when he threw a 4-0 shutout against the Detroit Tigers, allowing three hits with eight strikeouts and one walk. He had a season-high 10 strikeouts May 1 at Yankee Stadium.
Young, 35, apparently is fatigued. He is 0-3 with an 8.36 ERA in his last five starts. His 165 innings are the most since his last healthy year in 2007.
“Chris has done a tremendous job for us this year,” manager Lloyd McClendon told reporters before Monday’s game in Toronto. “To think he’s won as many games as he’s won and gone out there as many times as he’s gone out there, coming off the type of surgery that he had, I think it’s just tremendous. I’m not sure we’d be in the position we’re in now if not for him.”
Young continues saying he feels fine physically, but the 6-foot-10 veteran has thrown 165 innings, which is by far the most he’s thrown in a year since his last fully healthy season in 2007, when he was a National League All-Star with the Padres.
“I think he’s probably out of gas from the starting standpoint,” McClendon said. “Having said that, eight to 10 days from now, who knows?”
The Mariners began a four-game series at Toronto Monday with LHP James Paxton (6-3, 2.06) contesting LHP J.A. Happ 9-11, 4.35).
The Mariners began play Monday trailing Oakland by two games and Kansas City by 1½ in the American League wild card race.
4 Comments
maybe jack z can suit up and toss a couple innings.
Elias and Young have both been pleasant surprises this year but they were both wearing down (Iwakuma may be as well). Hard to say what the rotation will look like the rest of the way, but I’d guess something along the lines of Felix-Iwakuma-Paxton-Walker-Maurer.
I’ve mentioned Mac as Manager of the Year material but (and I’m swallowing a little on this one) some consideration should go to Zduriencik for Exec of the Year as well. Who’d have thought Elias and Young would’ve combined for 22 wins and Rodney would go 46-of-49 in save opportunities, Morrison hasn’t been bad when healthy while a number of Z’s draft picks are finally starting to show signs of life…Seager’s been solid all along, but we’re seeing some potential beginning to be realized with Ackley, Saunders, Zunino, Jones and Taylor. Trading Franklin and getting Jackson back was not a bad move either and even though he overpaid for Cano, Robby has had a great year both in the field and clubhouse and has been more of a leader among his younger teammates than Ichiro ever was.
As much as people were ready to ship Z out of town after Baker’s column in the Times last winter, Jack has had a solid year (especially given the handicap that ownership’s devotion to the profit/loss statement represents).
Don’t see Lloyd getting manager of the year though IMO he deserves it. I bet Mike Scioscia gets it since he got the Angels to win the division depsite injuries to some key players.
Elias should have been shut down earlier but the M’s didn’t have many options. I imagine Walker is going to get a chance to start. I wouldn’t use Ramirez anymore. Young will probably get shut down as well so that could mean a call up. In the offseason Jack needs to get a good clean up hitter and a #3 pitcher. Hope the M’s keep Young.