D-backs relief pitcher Tyler Clippard shut down due to shoulder sprain
Mar 21, 2021, 1:57 PM
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA - MARCH 16: Tyler Clippard #36 of the Arizona Diamondbacks delivers a pitch against the Oakland Athletics during the fifth inning of the MLB spring training baseball game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on March 16, 2021 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ralph Freso/Getty Images)
SCOTTSDALE — Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Tyler Clippard revealed on Sunday that he has suffered a capsule sprain of his right shoulder that will cause him to shut down all throwing for at least the next six weeks.
“I’m bummed,” Clippard said before Sunday’s game. “I have a capsule sprain and I have to get shut down for six weeks, so that’s kinda where we stand.”
“It’s kinda disappointing. I’ve never been on the injured list in my career, never had a serious injury, and I do now so it’s frustrating. I pride myself on being that guy that’s been healthy, and now I’m not, so I’m bummed.”
Clippard said it wasn’t a lingering injury but more of something that came up suddenly in Friday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers.
“In Maryvale the other day, it kinda came out of nowhere. I guess that’s how these things happen sometimes, but obviously I’m new to this and it’s been kinda weird and frustrating.”
Clippard allowed seven earned runs in the outing against the Brewers without registering an out and requested to be removed from the game when the issues with his command didn’t alleviate.
“I’ve pitched through discomfort before, especially in spring training. As you’re building arm strength, for me in the past I’ve had little aches and pains and stuff that I’ve always just thrown through and usually it loosens up, usually it goes away and the arm strength comes around and I’ve been fine in the past.
“It wasn’t even that painful to be honest with you,” he admitted. “My arm just felt weak, and obviously my velo was down, and the ball wasn’t coming out and I had no idea really where it was going, so there was just a lot of weird factors involved in this situation and things that I hadn’t felt before.
“Ultimately, I took myself out because it just didn’t ever get any better.”
The D-backs signed the 36-year-old reliever to a one-year, $2.25 million-dollar contract in the offseason. A timetable has not been set on his return.
