SURPRISE, Ariz. - Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish has been scratched from his start on opening day and is likely to begin the season on the disabled list.
Darvish has a stiff neck and the situation has not improved as quickly as the Rangers expected. Darvish will return to Texas on Tuesday to be examined by Dr. Drew Dossett, the backbone of the club and back specialist. Darvish played catch on Monday, but did not.
“If I felt good, I'd keep pitching," Darvish said. “But I did not, so I stopped launching.”
On Tuesday morning, the Rangers took the decision to send back Darvish to Texas for further examination. Darvish said the problem was caused because one night slept badly last week, but the organization is concerned that the problem may be more complicated than that.
"He has not shown the progress that we would like," said assistant general manager Thad Levine. “We want to start discarding things at this point. At this stage, we are open to that sleep is more than wrong. "
The Rangers also wanted to stop any tendency to rush in trying to launch Darvish Opening Day.
"We want to get right physically and mentally," said manager Ron Washington. "We do not want out there trying to throw, and the back of his mind knows that something is wrong and you are trying to gut it out. Certainly do not have a date for when you will launch again. We’ll just see where it goes. "
There is the possibility of Darvish could receive anti - inflammatory injection is expected to solve the problem.
“If you give me an injection or acupuncture, will be cured immediately," Darvish said.
The Rangers have made no announcement on who will replace Darvish on Monday when they open the season against the Phillies in Globe Life Park. Martin Perez seems to be the leading candidate, but at this point, could be almost anyone. At this time, Perez and Tanner Scheppers are the only two pitchers in the rotation locked points, but Joe Saunders is expected to get a place. Robbie Ross, Colby Lewis and Tommy Hanson are also competing.
Darvish will probably start the season on the disabled list for 15 days, but the Rangers could roll back up to nine days. That means that Darvish could miss only the first six days of the season. The club will not need a fifth starter until April 8.
"We have not had a chance to sit down and decide which way we go," Washington said.
Darvish had neck pain in spring training last year, but it was earlier in the camp and that ended up being ready for the start of the season. He was on the disabled list last year from 7 to 22 July for a muscle strain in the back of his right shoulder, but missed just one start due to the pause -Star Game.
“If it were a shoulder or elbow, I would be disappointed," Darvish said. “This is something that happened when I woke up. Do not know if I would feel disappointed. It is what it is. "
Two years ago, the Rangers opened the season with a rotation of Matt Harrison, Derek Holland, Neftali Feliz, Lewis and Darvish. The five are still in the organization, and Happy, who is now a middle reliever, was sent to the minors on Tuesday so he can continue his recovery from Tommy John surgery.
Holland is until June in January after surgery on his left knee. He has been throwing in camp and could start throwing off a mound next week in Arlington. Harrison is still recovering from his back problems last year, and he threw just three innings in his last outing. He is scheduled to pitch Friday in San Antonio, but it's probably only three innings again. Harrison may need at least three other minor openings in medical rehabilitation assignment before being an option in the Major Leagues.
Lewis, who has not pitched in the majors since July 18, 2012, while recovering from flexor tendon and hip replacement operations, plans to launch 75 pitches against the Mariners on Wednesday. Lewis probably needs at least one more and possibly two starts to get ready to pitch in the majors again.
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