Anibal Sanchez, Joakim Soria On Disabled List; Detroit Tigers Call Up Robbie Ray
Anibal Sanchez and Joakim Soria have both been placed on the 15-day disabled list by the Detroit Tigers. Anibal Sanchez is expected to be out for three to four weeks with a right pectoral strain, according to a report in the Detroit Free Press.
Sanchez had allowed four runs on 10 hits in five innings before being pulled from yesterday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays. According to a report on the Major League Baseball website, Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus has this to say about the Anibal Sanchez injury after receiving the initial diagnosis:
“It’s an odd area to have an injury in baseball. It’s not something that’s common. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. When you have a hamstring injury or a groin injury, there’s kind of some track record for recovery time based on how severe the injury is.”
The injury occurred while Anibal Sanchez was attempting to pick off base runner Munerori Kawasaki. Sanchez had this to say about the injury:
“There’s no way I could throw another pitch. I felt a lot of pain right there in that moment. I just walked off. I never got that before. I don’t know what the [recovery] process is, how long it might take.”
Sanchez has a history of injuries, losing most of the 2008 season with a shoulder injury. Anibal was also on the disabled list for a lacerated finger earlier this season, missing two weeks.
The Tigers have called up left-handed pitcher Robbie Ray to cover Anibal Sanchez’ next start. The Detroit Free Press reports that Tigers’ general manager Dave Dombrowski had this to say when asked if Ray will cover the remainder of the three to four weeks’ worth of starts Anibal Sanchez will miss:
“We may have a move to bring somebody else, in fact, I think we will for Monday and Tuesday, for that spot, since we won’t need (Robbie Ray) for Wednesday, but I’m not sure who that will be at this time. He (Ray) has to perform like anybody else, but we’re hoping that he will. We think he can. That’s what our plans are, but he has to go and pitch well too.”
The loss of Sanchez is significant, but even without Anibal the Tigers have the best starting rotation in baseball. The loss of reliever Joakim Soria, injured in the same game, could be the bigger loss for Detroit. Losing Soria puts a fresh hole in an already shaky bullpen. It’s uncertain who the Tigers will call up to replace Soria in the bullpen, but likely candidates include Ian Kroll, Kevin Whelan, or Jim Johnson.
Anibal Sanchez heads to the DL with an 8-5 record and 3.46 ERA.
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