TEMPE, ARIZ. — John Lackey has been diagnosed with an elbow strain that will sideline the Angels' ace "for a couple of weeks," the team's medical director said Saturday. The right-hander was given a cortisone shot to promote the healing process.
"It's difficult to quantify," Dr. Lewis Yocum said, when asked how severe the injury is. "It's frustrating for John. There's no good time for him to be sore. But it's better to be safe up front, at the beginning of a long season, than to push him to come back sooner."
Yocum, who was in town to examine the pitcher's MRI results, said there was no structural damage in the elbow, and that this injury is not related to the triceps tendinitis that sidelined Lackey for the first six weeks of the 2008 season.
"Last year it was the back of the elbow," Yocum said. "He has some inflammation back there, but the MRI showed that the triceps situation from last year has been resolved. . . . His elbow looks better than it did in last year's MRI, so we're encouraged in that regard."
Lackey was shut down after feeling tightness on the inside of his elbow during last Sunday's game against Kansas City. He tried to play catch Thursday but felt so much discomfort he was sent for an MRI exam.
He was placed on anti-inflammatory medication and will continue to strengthen his arm with exercise, but he probably won't try to play catch again until late this week. He will open the season on the disabled list.
"It could have been worse, I guess," Lackey said. "Obviously, it's frustrating that I'm not going to be ready for opening day, but I better take care of it now and be ready for the end."
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Giant steps
Kelvim Escobar took another significant step in his return from shoulder surgery Saturday, retiring the first 10 batters he faced before walking his final batter in a double-A game against San Francisco in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Escobar, in his second minor league start, threw 40 pitches, five short of his target, and did not allow a ball to be hit out of the infield. His fastball was clocked from 91 to 93 mph and touched 94 mph once. He struck out two.
"I felt good," Escobar said. "I think it was better today than the last time -- location was good, breaking stuff was better. I was more under control. I was focused more on hitting my spots."
Escobar's fastball hit 96 mph Monday, but he said his velocity was down Saturday because he tried to mix in more two-seam, sinking fastballs and breaking pitches.
