BOSTON -- Orioles ace Erik Bedard remains in significant discomfort with a strained right oblique muscle, and it's becoming more likely that he'll be sidelined for an extended period.
Bedard hasn't attempted to throw since Sunday, when he allowed six earned runs in six innings to the Minnesota Twins and suffered his first loss in more than two months. The left-hander, who leads the major leagues with a club-record 221, said the pain hasn't subsided and he has no idea when he'll be able to start again.
Bedard was scratched from his start in the current series against the Boston Red Sox. Asked if he'll be able to make his next start, Bedard said, "I don't think I'll be able to."
The oblique muscle is a thin muscle located in the ribcage area. The strained oblique has been a common - and painful - injury throughout the big leagues this season. Bedard, who had never heard of the injury before this season, said it was so painful that he had trouble getting out of bed earlier this week.
The same injury sent Orioles catcher Ramon Hernandez to the disabled list for nearly a month. Red Sox slugger Manny Ramirez is sidelined with a strained left oblique.
"It's extremely frustrating to have this at the end of the year when you're having a good year," said Bedard, who is 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA and is considered a Cy Young Award candidate. "It's not the way you want to finish the year. But what can you do?"
Orioles manager Dave Trembley said he had no update on Bedard, but did guarantee that he wouldn't start in Monday night's series opener against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Orioles don't have a starter scheduled for that game after trading Steve Trachsel to the Chicago Cubs yesterday.
"I don't know what he's going to do today," Trembley said of Bedard. "I don't know what his plan is, but I don't have an update. He wouldn't start on Monday. He wouldn't be the guy that fills Trachsel's spot."
The Orioles don't have to worry about putting Bedard on the disabled list because rosters are allowed to expand today.
An extended absence would take Bedard out of the running for postseason awards and probably will cost him a chance at winning the American League strikeout crown.
It also would be latest blow to an Orioles rotation that has been torn apart by injuries.
