TORONTO(AP)-B.J. Ryan knew something was wrong when he walked three consecutive batters.
The injured Toronto Blue Jays’ closer said a wild outing against Detroit last Saturday convinced him to investigate the pain he’d been feeling in his left elbow since the final days of spring training.
“It wasn’t right, I couldn’t throw a strike,” Ryan said Thursday. “It was just something I hadn’t felt in a long time, (being) out there and not able to control any part of the situation trying to make pitches. It just wasn’t there.”
Ryan was placed on the disabled list Sunday for the first time in his nine-year career. He flew to Birmingham, Ala. on Monday to see renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews, who confirmed there were no ligament tears in Ryan’s left elbow. Ryan won’t throw for four weeks while he rehabs his arm with exercise. He’s expected to miss six weeks.
“It’s tough,” Ryan said. “You pride yourself on that aspect of your career that I haven’t been on the DL, but some things are out of your control.”
Ryan signed a five-year, $47-million contract with the Blue Jays before the 2006 season, then went 2-2 with a 1.37 ERA and 38 saves.
He earned the save in Toronto’s Opening Day victory this season but blew his second chance four days later against Tampa Bay, giving up three runs on five hits.
Ryan posted two more saves before his April 14 meltdown against Detroit, a game the Blue Jays lost 10-7.
“(The injury) was just wearing,” Ryan said. “It wasn’t getting better, getting worse as the season went on.
“You try to think you’re tough enough, you can pitch through it and just come out on the other side, but eventually your body tells you that’s enough, you need to take a step back and get this checked out because you’re not helping the team and you’re hurting yourself.”
Ryan also said he was slow to seek help because he feared the problem might be worse.
“It’s the uncertainty that you don’t know what’s wrong,” Ryan said. “You know something’s wrong down there and you’re almost kind of in a daze because you don’t know what it holds, you could be staring down the barrel of so many things and you hope for the best and try to stay positive.”
Right-handed setup man Jason Frasor is expected to get the bulk of the save opportunities in Ryan’s absence, but the Blue Jays will also use Shaun Marcum and Victor Zambrano.
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