Kenny Rogers had surgery last week to remove a blood clot from his left shoulder and repair arteries, and will likely be out until right around the All-Star Game.
The 42-year-old southpaw had the operation in Dallas. He is expected to start throwing in six to eight weeks, and Tigers president Dave Dombrowski said the earliest Rogers would return to the rotation is July. In his absence, the Tigers will put reliever Chad Durbin into the starting rotation.
Durbin has some talent, but it will be very difficult to replace Rogers’ steadiness every fifth day. The veteran went 17-8 with a 3.84 ERA last year during his first season with the Tigers, then won all three of his postseason starts, hurling 23 scoreless innings.
This spring, he was 2-0 with a 2.05 ERA in five exhibition starts. With Rogers out of the rotation, Jeremy Bonderman started Monday's opener against Toronto and will be followed by Nate Robertson, Justin Verlander, Mike Maroth and Durbin.
Durbin started 29 games for the Royals all the way back in 2001, going 9-16 with a 4.93 ERA. In the five seasons since then, he's appeared in just 32 big league games, including 11 starts.
"I have confidence in Chad Durbin, but can anyone replace Kenny Rogers? No," manager Jim Leyland said. Durbin made 28 starts for Triple-A Toledo last season and posted a 3.11 ERA with 149 strikeouts and 46 walks.
Those numbers are very solid, so the guy is at the very least worth a flyer in AL-only formats. If he does struggle though, Detroit will likely turn to 21-year-old Andrew Miller, and that could happen by May 1st. He was their No. 1 selection in the 2006 amateur draft and thought to be the best prospect in that draft. If your league has minor league spots, this guy is definitely worth stashing away and could play a role with the Tigers by mid-season.
Other Injury News:
Randy Johnson (back) is scheduled to pitch a minor league camp game in Triple-A Tucson on Tuesday, then pitch for Class A Visalia on April 8 and then for Tucson on April 13 before likely being activated. The Big Unit is hoping to return to the Diamondbacks rotation on April 19 against San Diego. Keep him stashed on your reserves until week 3.
Bartolo Colon (shoulder) could rejoin the Angels' starting rotation as soon as April 20. He is expected to make three or four rehabilitation starts, including an Opening Day start for Rancho Cucamonga. Joe Saunders will replace him in the rotation for the first few weeks.
Jered Weaver will start the season on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 23, due to right biceps tendinitis. The Angels are hoping to get Weaver back on April 16. Dustin Moseley is scheduled to make two starts in his place.
Esteban Loaiza was stashed on the 15-day DL, retroactive to March 25, with a strained trapezius muscle. Chad Gaudin will make his 11th career start on Thursday against the Angels in his stead. Last year, he went 3-0 with a 0.37 ERA in four starts at Triple-A Sacramento before being called up in May, and then worked mostly out of the bullpen. He posted a stellar 3.09 ERA, but has had some control issues (he walked 42 in just 64 innings).
The Athletics also placed first baseman Dan Johnson on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 27, with torn cartilage in his left hip. He’s expected to miss the first half of the season with the injury. In a surprise move, Oakland released Erubiel Durazo last week. He was expected to replace Johnson at first base, but instead the A’s will use Nick Swisher there and possibly even use Todd Walker sometimes.
Rafael Furcal (ankle) will start the season on the shelf for L.A. He was carted off the field on March 22 after he collided with Jason Repko, who suffered a season-ending injury on the play. Furcal did some throwing this weekend, but was seen grimacing in pain, giving some doubt that he’ll be ready to come off the DL on Saturday when the Dodgers had hoped. Ramon Martinez and Wilson Valdez are going to fill in for him at shortstop for at least this week.
J.J. Putz (elbow) faced major league hitters on Friday for the first time since experiencing elbow soreness earlier in the spring. Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said he doesn't think Putz will start the season with any restrictions. Putz felt some tightness in his elbow after a recent bullpen session, but an MRI proved it was nothing serious. "A little pain I can work through," he said.
Octavio Dotel (oblique) threw Sunday and said he expects to avoid the disabled list. "It feels really, really good," he said. "I didn’t go 100 percent (Sunday), but everything I did felt good." Dotel will be unavailable on Monday, but he might be ready to go Wednesday. The Royals will decide then whether to place him on the DL. "There is a chance that he could be put on the disabled list," manager Buddy Bell said. "We don't think it is a long-term situation." Bell confirmed that David Riske would get the nod if a closer was needed early on.
The Reds placed Eric Milton on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 23, due to lower back stiffness. The southpaw was unable to make his last start in a minor league game, so the Reds were able to backdate the DL assignment. Matt Belisle is likely to move up in the rotation and Kirk Saarloos becomes the favorite to make a spot start or two in place of Milton.
Lance Cormier (shoulder) will throw a side session on Monday in Philadelphia. Cormier, who had a team-best 1.15 ERA during spring training, hasn't thrown off a mound since feeling tightness in his shoulder on March 26. If he feels any soreness on Monday, the Braves will have Kyle Davies take his start on April 8.
Mike Hampton (oblique) threw an impressive simulated inning during batting practice on Sunday. "He threw great," manager Bobby Cox said. "Everything — change-up, hard sinker, curve. Really, really good." Hampton is scheduled to make a start in extended spring training on Saturday and then make four or five rehab starts before returning to the Braves in early May.
Eric Gagne will start the year on the 15-day disabled list, and is hoping to be activated on April 13. Akinori Otsuka will be the Rangers stopper in the meantime. The Rangers have said the former Cy Young winner hasn’t had any setbacks this year, but they just wanted him to pitch in the minor leagues until the second week of April. "I feel pretty good, but I think this is going to help the team," Gagne said after throwing 15 pitches in a minor league game Thursday. "We are here to have a successful season and make the playoffs." The closer has been held to just 15 1/3 innings the past two seasons, so Texas will obviously be very cautious with Gagne.
The Pirates placed Freddy Sanchez on the DL, retroactive to March 23, with a sprained MCL. The NL batting title winner is expected to miss at least the first four games of the season. "It's not so much the knee, but I don't feel good at the plate," Sanchez said. "I don't feel like I'd be able to go in there in the bottom of the ninth against Brad Lidge and have a good, quality at-bat." Jose Castillo will start at second in his place.
Freddy Garcia (biceps tendinitis) will throw a bullpen session on Monday and then throw 45 pitches in a minor league game on Thursday. "Freddy is coming along fine," pitching coach Rich Dubee said. If Garcia feels okay after Thursday's outing he will make another minor league rehab start on April 10 and then could join the Phillies.
The Orioles placed Jay Payton on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 27, with a strained left hamstring. He could return as soon as April 10. "I'd rather miss seven or eight games now," he said, "than miss 30 or 40 games later by doing something stupid." With Payton sidelined, Jay Gibbons will start in left field and Kevin Millar will be used as their designated hitter.
The White Sox stashed Toby Hall on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 26, with a torn right labrum, and there’s fear that the former DRay could be done for the year already. Hall postponed surgery and hopes to make a comeback in May, though. Gustavo Molina will fill in for him.
Manager Ozzie Guillen indicated Sunday that Scott Podsednik will sit Opening Day against left hander C.C. Sabathia. Pablo Ozuna will get the start in his place, leading off for the White Sox. ''He's gone from the Mexican leagues to leadoff man on Opening Day, and that's great,'' Guillen said. ''He's had the best at-bats against C.C. the last few years. I know it's a special day, but we have a job to do, and I think Ozuna will handle C.C. better.''