Matt Garza goes on DL with calf strain; Michael Blazek will start on Thursday
WASHINGTON - Some years, it seems as if the same type of injury plagues a team. For the Milwaukee Brewers, 2017 has been the year of the calf strain.
Right-hander Matt Garza became the fourth player to suffer that problem. It was announced Wednesday that he was going on the 10-day disabled list and would miss his scheduled start Thursday against Washington. Instead, reliever Michael Blazek will take that turn.
Garza suffered the slight calf strain while running during his conditioning program Saturday. It didn't feel right when he tried throwing in the bullpen Sunday and Tuesday, and the decision was made to put him on the DL, hopefully missing only one start.
?I thought it was just a cramp, and it just hasn?t felt the same,? said Garza, who joined Junior Guerra,Ryan Braun and Wily Peralta in going on the DL with calf issues. ?It?s not painful to pitch, but making a pitch with authority, or reacting afterward, I don?t think I would be able to perform at the level they need me to.
?It was more for not trying to injure it any further. We tried to wait as long as possible, and just couldn?t do it. I want to give my team the best chance to put ourselves in a position to win.
"It sucks, but what are you going to do? It?s not like I was fooling around. I was getting my work in, and I guess everything was right for something wrong to happen.?
During his time with Class AAA Colorado Springs earlier this season, Blazek was stretched out as a starter for several weeks. He has pitched only in relief (6 1/3 innings over four outings) with the Brewers, but manager Craig Counsell will see how far he can go. He said it helped that starter Zach Davies went 7 2/3 innings Tuesday night, with Oliver Drake the only reliever who pitched.
?He has started a bunch of games this year, and is not that far removed from starting games down in Colorado Springs,? Counsell said. ?Obviously, it will be a day we rely on some bullpen guys as well.
?Our hope is that Matt can fit into his next start somewhere in the St. Louis series, or the next series in Tampa. I can?t tell you if that?s going to happen yet, but that would be the hope. We?d probably have to adjust if he misses another start.?
WASHINGTON - Some years, it seems as if the same type of injury plagues a team. For the Milwaukee Brewers, 2017 has been the year of the calf strain.
Right-hander Matt Garza became the fourth player to suffer that problem. It was announced Wednesday that he was going on the 10-day disabled list and would miss his scheduled start Thursday against Washington. Instead, reliever Michael Blazek will take that turn.
Garza suffered the slight calf strain while running during his conditioning program Saturday. It didn't feel right when he tried throwing in the bullpen Sunday and Tuesday, and the decision was made to put him on the DL, hopefully missing only one start.
?I thought it was just a cramp, and it just hasn?t felt the same,? said Garza, who joined Junior Guerra,Ryan Braun and Wily Peralta in going on the DL with calf issues. ?It?s not painful to pitch, but making a pitch with authority, or reacting afterward, I don?t think I would be able to perform at the level they need me to.
?It was more for not trying to injure it any further. We tried to wait as long as possible, and just couldn?t do it. I want to give my team the best chance to put ourselves in a position to win.
"It sucks, but what are you going to do? It?s not like I was fooling around. I was getting my work in, and I guess everything was right for something wrong to happen.?
During his time with Class AAA Colorado Springs earlier this season, Blazek was stretched out as a starter for several weeks. He has pitched only in relief (6 1/3 innings over four outings) with the Brewers, but manager Craig Counsell will see how far he can go. He said it helped that starter Zach Davies went 7 2/3 innings Tuesday night, with Oliver Drake the only reliever who pitched.
?He has started a bunch of games this year, and is not that far removed from starting games down in Colorado Springs,? Counsell said. ?Obviously, it will be a day we rely on some bullpen guys as well.
?Our hope is that Matt can fit into his next start somewhere in the St. Louis series, or the next series in Tampa. I can?t tell you if that?s going to happen yet, but that would be the hope. We?d probably have to adjust if he misses another start.?
