D-backs still evaluating Eduardo Rodriguez’s lat injury, hoping to dodge a bullet

Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez is still undergoing evaluations on Wednesday after he left a spring game the night prior with discomfort that the team labeled as left lat tightness.

The D-backs still have not taken imaging of Rodriguez’s throwing shoulder but still could decide to take that step, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters on Wednesday.

“We feel good about him speaking up when he did. We feel like we dodged a bullet,” Lovullo said. “We had discussed imaging, it hasn’t happened yet. I’ll keep you posted if it does happen.”

Lovullo added the team got Rodriguez to recreate the issue after pulling Rodriguez out of the game, but it was a “tiny bit of discomfort.”

Arizona’s medical staff was “encouraged” that the injury isn’t significant, Lovullo added.

The manager was asked for a timeline or outlook, and at the least, it could put the pitcher’s availability for his first start in question.

“Hard to say. He’s still being evaluated is how I can summarize it,” Lovullo said.

Rodriguez spent the last two years with the Detroit Tigers and went 13-9 with a 3.30 ERA and 1.15 WHIP last season in 26 starts.

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