Mariners rookie James Paxton leaves early due to lat strain
The Mariners can ill afford losing another starting pitcher to injury. (Elaine Thompson/AP)
Seattle certainly is used to it pouring when it rains, but it's usually in a literal sense. The old maxim hit the Mariners' starting rotation on Tuesday night.
Rookie hurler James Paxton left his second start of the year against the Angels in the middle of a Mike Trout at-bat after manager Lloyd McClendon and the training staff saw something they didn't like. While it initially looked like it might have been his triceps or shoulder, word from the Mariners was that Paxton suffered a left lat strain. He will be re-evaluated on Wednesday.
The last thing the Mariners needed was another injury in their starting rotation with Hisashi Iwakuma and Taijuan Walker both about one month away from returning to the mound. Paxton had breathed some life into the rotation, tossing seven shutout innings and allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out nine in his season debut last week. He surrendered homers to Albert Pujols and David Freese in the first inning on Tuesday, but had rebounded and retired 14 straight before giving up a single to Kole Calhoun, his final batter before leaving the game.
Paxton ended up throwing five innings, allowing three runs on four hits, striking out four and walking none.
Chris Young
