Diamondbacks manager Gibson gives injury updates

The Arizona Diamondbacks have had quite the rotation of players on the disabled list this season, dating all the way back to spring training. Just when you think they’re going to get healthy and force them into making tough decisions with too many guys on the roster, somebody else has gone down with an ailment.

Tuesday, before the D-backs started a series with the Tampa Bay Rays, manager Kirk Gibson gave the latest on Willie Bloomquist, Miguel Montero and Trevor Cahill.

Cahill, a starting pitcher, is the closest to coming off the DL with a right hip contusion. He made his second rehab start with Reno on Monday night but didn’t look so hot.

Gibson said Tuesday it was fatigue that plagued him in his outing, “Trevor gave up six runs in a 4.1 (innings). Ran out of gas in the fifth, gave up two home runs and didn’t throw the ball good after that at all. He was doing OK up to that point, but in the fifth inning he was just getting tired.”

Cahill also had three walks and six strikeouts in the loss to New Orleans. He threw 82 pitches before getting pulled from the game.

“I don’t know. I mean, he didn’t hang in there very good last night,” said Gibson when asked how long he needs to stretch Cahill out before returning to the D-backs. “He tired in the fifth inning, we want better than that.”

Cahill went on the DL on July 1, but before that posted a 3-10 record with a 4.66 ERA in 17 starts for Arizona this season.

Veteran infielder Willie Bloomquist has been dealing with a broken hand and/or left hand contusion since the end of June, but was officially put on the 15-day DL July 2.

Gibson said he’s making progress, and even Tuesday was another step in the right direction.

“He’s just been cleared to start taking ground balls and he can play catch. He’s just trying to get his legs in shape, probably another week away from starting to handle the bat more.”

Bloomquist was hit by a pitch during an at-bat and suffered an injury nearly identical to his infield companion Aaron Hill. Gibson said he’ll likely see specialist Dr. Sheridan on Sunday.

Last but not least, that leaves catcher Miguel Montero. Miggy was just put on the DL August 1 with a lower back strain, but the move was made retroactive to July 29.

“Just trying to get it of calmed down right now. I haven’t talked to him, but he’s not close,” said the skipper. “They did an MRI and they saw he has a little bit of a bulging disc, but he has no numbness or anything like that so it doesn’t appear to be serious, yet he felt it when he was throwing a ball and extending out like that.”

Montero was dealing with a sore back the week leading up to being put on the disabled list, but it seemed the club was convinced that a couple days off here and there would fix the problem. It didn’t.

Being a catcher is a very physically taxing position and it’s tough to say what causes a bad back or what might make it worse, but Gibson said they have an idea.

“Actually (he) felt it more throwing than hitting. It’s hard to say what irritates it; you know he’s a catcher so he has a stiff back.”

There is no specific timetable for Montero’s return and it sounds like his regiment is rest and treatment. In the meantime, the team will rely on backup catcher Wil Nieves, who’s hitting .361 in 40 games this season, and Tuffy Gosewisch, who was called up last week.

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