D-backs RHP J.B. Bukauskas suffers torn teres major, could miss months
Mar 19, 2022, 1:33 PM | Updated: Mar 24, 2022, 9:12 am
Relief pitcher J.B. Bukauskas #33 of the Arizona Diamondbacks after giving up a three-run home run to Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium on July 11, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher J.B. Bukauskas will miss the start of the regular season with a Grade 2 teres major tear, manager Torey Lovullo informed the media on Saturday.
The teres major is a muscle attached to the scapula that affects shoulder rotation.
Lovullo did not give a specific timetable, but he mentioned Bukauskas will be out months, not weeks, MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert reported.
Former D-backs pitcher Taylor Clarke missed nearly two months of the 2021 season with a strained right teres major.
Arizona acquired Bukauskas at the 2019 trade deadline from the Houston Astros as part of the Zack Greinke deal. The 25-year-old made his MLB debut last April and threw 17.1 innings for the D-backs in 2021.
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The 2017 first-round pick allowed 15 earned runs with 14 strikeouts and seven walks in his first stint with the D-backs. He finished the year on a high note with a 3.86 ERA over his final five outings.
Bukauskas pitched one inning in Arizona’s spring training opener against the Colorado Rockies on Thursday and allowed an earned run.
The injury is especially disadvantageous for Arizona’s pitching depth going into a season with limited spring training.
“We feel like because of the ramped up abbreviated spring training that we might not be able to stretch out as many guys as we need to,” Lovullo said on Monday “So we’ve got to figure out a way, if we’re going to piggyback, if we’re going to start somebody and then drop one-inning relievers behind him. I’m not sure. I will say that we’ve talked about stretching out as many guys as we possibly can.”
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