PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) -Seattle right-hander Brandon Morrow will miss his next scheduled start after complaining of stiffness in his pitching forearm.
“It’s just a little sore around the flexor bundle,” Morrow said Thursday. “It was kind of tight last week and tighter yesterday. Not like it is painful or anything, just tight and they wanted to make sure it’s OK.”
Morrow, who will likely be the Mariners’ No. 4 or No. 5 starter, had control problems and was pulled after facing three batters without recording an out in the second inning against Texas on Sunday. He gave up two runs and three hits while walking three before being lifted by manager Don Wakamatsu.
It’s the second consecutive year that the 24-year-old Morrow has been slowed by health issues in spring training. In 2008, he was sidelined for two weeks with soreness in his shoulder.
“I go through it every spring,” Morrow said. “Last year it was my shoulder and we really didn’t catch it in time. This year it’s so early, I still have five to six more outings before we get through spring training.”
e plan is for Morrow to throw a bullpen session Tuesday then start against the Chicago Cubs on March 13.
“We’re just being careful with it,” Wakamatsu said. “Doctors looked at it and said the pain was more in the forearm rather than the elbow.”
Wakamatsu said the stiffness could be a result of Morrow trying to overthrow.
“Sometimes when guys are early in camp they’re just trying to manipulate the ball a little bit more and put more pressure on their fingertips,” he said.
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GRIFFEY TO REMAIN AT DH: Wakamatsu has plans for Ken Griffey Jr. to play the outfield this spring, but for the time being the 39-year-old slugger will remain in his role as Seattle’s designated hitter.
Griffey, who walked and flied out in his first game back with the Mariners on Wednesday, was held out of Thursday’s game against the Angels but will likely be back in the lineup Sunday against Arizona.
“Kind of an every other day deal with him until Thursday,” Wakamatsu said. “Then we’ll re-evaluate and see about getting him in the outfield.”
Griffey has said he wants to play left field for Seattle this season, but just how much the Mariners will be able to use him there depends largely on how well his surgically repaired left knee holds up.
So far the signs have been encouraging, but the Mariners want to keep Griffey on a cautious pace. He will get in some work during a simulated game Friday and is penciled in to play against the Diamondbacks on Sunday and possibly against the Cubs on March 10.
Griffey will be the Mariners’ DH for both of those games and Wakamatsu said he won’t use Griffey in the outfield until after March 14.
“We’ll probably look to get him five or six games out there,” Wakamatsu said. “He came in and right away had a little bit of swelling in the knee, but that seems to be all gone and he feels good.”
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