D-backs’ Taijuan Walker has setback; Zack Greinke’s MRI results good

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks had good news and bad news to deliver about two of their starting pitchers on Friday.

The good news: An MRI for Zack Greinke, who exited Wednesday’s game with abdominal tightness, came back clean. The bad news: Taijuan Walker, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, suffered a capsule sprain in his right shoulder and will not throw for six weeks.

Walker received a platelet-rich plasma injection (PRP) after consulting with four different physicians and will not be able to throw for six weeks. He previously was throwing bullpen sessions and simulated games.

He’ll be re-evaluated after that six-week period.

“Really unfortunate for him. He’s been working his tail off to get back here,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “And this is just a bump in the road for him, I know, and he’s going to keep working as hard he has been to make good things happen as soon as he possibly can.”

Meanwhile, Greinke did light tossing on Friday and will throw a bullpen on Saturday to further determine next steps. Lovullo said the team would hesitate to skip a start or two for their ace if it meant better long-term health later in the season. They’re hoping to avoid an IL stint.

Greinke would have been to start on Monday in San Diego, but because of an off-day, his next start wouldn’t come up until Tuesday, the following day. The team is prepared to use their organizational depth if they need another arm in the rotation, but one wrinkle in that equation is what they do with Zack Godley.

Last weekend, Godley — who had been removed from the starting rotation and sent to the bullpen — made a start but only went two innings as part of a pre-planned “opener” situation. That spot in the rotation is up again on Saturday, but the team was non-committal Friday as to who would start the following day.

It sounded like that was in-part because of the possibility that Godley would have to throw out of the bullpen in Friday’s game, should the situation arise.

BASE HITS

–Jake Lamb (quad strain) is progressing well and performing baseball activities. The timeline for his return his unknown for now, but he is hitting his “markers,” as Lovullo described them, each week.

–David Peralta left Wednesday’s game with right trap tightness but was in Friday’s starting lineup against the Giants.

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