ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. _ The Rays got what amounted to relatively good news on starter Tyler Glasnow, with testing showing what they called a "mild right forearm strain" and the expectation he will miss only 4-6 weeks.
Glasnow left Friday's game in the sixth inning after feeling tightness in the forearm, which can be an indication of a ligament tear that can lead to surgery, and was immediately given an MRI to determine the extent of the issue.
With the result being a mild strain, the Rays say he will be shut down from throwing for 7-10 days then re-evaluated. If he feels better then he will start throwing and build back up, with the potential to return to rotation in mid- to late-June.
Glasnow was placed on the 10-day injured list, and infielder/outfielder Andrew Velazquez was recalled from Triple-A. Another starter seems likely to be added by next weekend as the Rays have two days off around Tuesday-Wednesday games in Miami.
The Rays on Saturday also activated newly acquired catcher Travis d'Arnaud and sent down Nick Ciuffo, which means, at least for now, 29-year-old Anthony Bemboom gets to stay and, most likely, make his major league debut.
There was considerable concern among the Rays about Glasnow after Friday's game.
"I really don't know what's going on right now. I feel good. I'm just going to be optimistic," Glasnow said after the game. "It wasn't a pop or anything crazy. I just felt tightness for a couple pitches, and I felt like I should've come out of the game just because it felt pretty tight. ... It's not like there was any pain or anything, it just was this really strange feeling.
"I felt it was better to come out and not chance things. Feeling it for that many pitches is probably a good time to come out."
Glasnow has been a breakout star and a huge part of the Rays' early-season success, coming into the game leading the majors in wins (six) and ERA (1.47).
Glasnow was involved in an awkward play in the first inning when he leaped for a throw while covering the plate on a run-scoring passed ball. Later in the inning he seemed to pull up on a grounder toward first, prompting a visit from manager Kevin Cash and head athletic trainer Joe Benge. Cash said what looked to be a knee issue turned out to spasms in his quad.
Glasnow, though, said there no issues until the sixth, when he allowed two singles, then felt the tightness during a five-pitch at-bat to Gleyber Torres that ended with two curveballs for a strikeout, his 92nd pitch of the night.
"Noticed he went to stretch his forearm, that's not an ideal thing to see a pitcher do," Cash said. "I'm glad that we caught it. Now we just wait and see what people a lot smarter than us tell us."
