DETROIT — For now, the Tigers are probably going to
have to operate with closer by committee.
Jose Valverde, who had to stop warming up Tuesday night because of soreness in
his right wrist, received relatively good news about the injury — it's a
sprain.
"We did do X-rays last night, which were negative for any bony issues, and
he underwent an MRI (Tuesday) night, which showed he has some irritation of the
flexor tendon in his right wrist," athletic trainer Kevin Rand said.
Valverde, who said he has never had a wrist problem before, said the wrist
feels the same today as it did Tuesday night.
"(Tuesday) night when I throw the last pitch, I can't move my
fingers," Valverde said. "It hurt too bad. (Tuesday) night I can't do
anything. I'm the guy that wants to compete all the time. Something simple, I
never shut it down. But (Tuesday) night, I couldn't do anything."
Rand said there was nothing different about Valverde's routine Tuesday night.
"He had just come off throwing some splits, threw his last fastball and he
felt some soreness, tried to throw one more and it just didn't feel
right," Rand said. "The good thing, when he came in after the game,
he hadn't heard a pop or anything along those lines, which made you think it
wasn't really serious but he had obviously had some considerable soreness
there."
Dr. Brian Najarian, a hand specialist with the Detroit Medical Center, came to
Comerica Park Tuesday afternoon to examine Valverde.
"The plan is right now for him, obviously, is ice," Rand said.
"We put him in a wrist immobilizer to protect that tendon there for the
next couple, three days. We're just going to treat him day to day, see where
it's at."
Rand said once Valverde no longer has any pain in the wrist, then he can try
throwing.
"It's better (news) today than yesterday," Valverde said.
"That's why I think it'll soon go away. I'll be OK."
