Straily, Marlins being cautious with forearm tightness
JUPITER, Fla. (AP) Miami Marlins pitcher Dan Straily is taking some time to rest his pitching arm now in hopes of avoiding extended time off during the season.
No longer scheduled to start the second game of the season, Straily had an MRI on Tuesday that showed some inflammation in his right forearm but no structural issues.
''We're just taking a few days and making sure that everything is completely fine,'' Straily said.
Straily said he no longer feels discomfort, but will not throw for a few days as a precaution.
He liked the injury to a minor hamstring strain.
''You can go walking around just fine,'' he said. ''You can jog around just fine. Then you go sprint and your body's kind of telling you, hey, hold off a second.''
Straily first noticed the forearm tightness while pitching in a minor league game on Monday.
He completed four innings, throwing 60 pitches, but had been scheduled to throw a few more.
''I was coming off from the inning and just felt a little bit of tightness,'' Straily said. ''It went away relatively quickly. But I've learned my lesson in the game that when you don't feel something completely right, say something. So I spoke up.''
Straily started 33 games for Miami last season, going 10-9 with a 4.26 ERA. He's never been on the disabled list and didn't think he'd need to be put on there this time, but he didn't rule it out, either.
''It's obviously not the end of the world if that's what it comes to, but by taking some time now we're hoping to avoid that in the coming days,'' Straily said.
Miami planned to have starting shortstop J.T. Riddle make his Grapefruit League debut on Wednesday against St. Louis, but scratched the 26-year-old after batting practice because he experienced shoulder tightness.
Riddle underwent shoulder surgery in August. The Marlins still expect him to be their opening day shortstop, but they'd like to see him play back-to-back games before that happens.
''We're going to make sure that he's ready,'' manager Don Mattinly said.
Miami also remains concerned about starting catcher J.T. Realmuto, who hasn't played in a game since injuring is back on March 11 while sliding back into second on a pickoff attempt.
Realmuto left the game with a back contusion and has yet to swing a bat or catch any pitchers since.
The 27-year-old Realmuto progressed to long tossing on Wednesday.
