CLEVELAND (AP) - The Indians are down another starter. Carlos Carrasco is headed to the disabled list with a sore right elbow.
Unable to throw a bullpen session after feeling tightness in his arm while playing long toss, Carrasco will be placed on the 15-day disabled list following Wednesday night’s game against the Kansas City Royals.
Manager Manny Acta said he has to speak with general manager Chris Antonetti before announcing who will replace Carrasco on the roster. He will join right-hander Mitch Talbot on the DL. Talbot has been sidelined since April 17 with a strained elbow.
“We have to be careful with him,” Acta said of Carrasco, who is 1-1 with a 4.97 ERA in five starts. “We’ll slow it down.”
Carrasco was pulled after three innings of his start on Sunday in Minnesota, complaining of tightness in his elbow similar to what he had last season in the minors. An MRI taken on Monday showed no structural damage, and the Indians wanted him to throw a 30-to-35 pitch bullpen session before clearing him to make his scheduled start on Saturday against Detroit.
But Carrasco said his elbow hurt when he tried to cut loose on a few throws from 120 feet.
“It felt a little bit tight,” he said.
Carrasco said he hopes rest and strengthening exercises will take care of the soreness.
To fill Carrasco’s spot, the Indians may bring up right-hander Alex White, the club’s first-round draft pick (No. 15 overall) in 2009. White, who is 1-0 with a 1.90 ERA at Triple-A Columbus, would be on regular rest to face the Tigers. The former North Carolina star has 28 strikeouts in 23 2-3 innings.
Left-hander David Huff is another possibility, but he pitched seven innings on Tuesday night for the Clippers.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.