TORONTO - Daniel Cabrera returned to Baltimore last night and will have his right elbow examined today, a development that could make him the latest Orioles pitcher to be shut down before season's end.
Cabrera, who was scratched from tomorrow night's scheduled start at Yankee Stadium, felt some tingling in his elbow during his bullpen session yesterday at Rogers Centre. Orioles manager Dave Trembley said it was not in the same area Cabrera complained of discomfort last month. That led the pitcher to get a magnetic resonance imaging, which didn't reveal any structural damage.
Trembley said he isn't sure Cabrera will get an MRI when he is examined by team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens today.
"It was more ... the top of his arm. Now it's a different part of his elbow, so he's going to get it looked at," said Trembley, who will have Radhames Liz start on regular rest tomorrow night but isn't sure who will pitch Saturday. Cabrera "went out to throw his side [session] today, and he felt some discomfort. He had some tingling in his elbow, so they had to shut him down."
Cabrera is 2-5 with a 7.59 ERA in 10 starts since the All-Star break. His velocity has been down significantly during many of those starts, though Trembley has said repeatedly that if Cabrera, 27, weren't healthy, he would not be pitching.
If Cabrera were shut down for the season, it would be fair to question whether he has made his last start as an Oriole. Cabrera is expected to make about $5 million in arbitration this season, a salary the Orioles would be unlikely to pay for an enigmatic pitcher with a career record of 48-59 and an ERA of 5.05.
More injuries
Dennis Sarfate, who was placed on the disabled list yesterday with a right distal clavicle fracture, will get a second opinion from Los Angeles Angels team physician Lewis Yocum, but the right-hander has already decided to have season-ending surgery, Trembley said. Sarfate suffered the shoulder injury when he was struck by his car door while he was moving into his apartment in April.
"I'm told it's a rather normal procedure," Trembley said. "It will not affect his activity at all."
Jeremy Guthrie, who hasn't pitched since Aug. 29 because of a right shoulder impingement, will throw a bullpen session Saturday, and the hope remains he'll be activated from the disabled list in time to start one of the games in Tuesday's doubleheader against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Approaching it wrong
