BALTIMORE—Nate Karns, who hasn’t pitched since April 8 because of tightness in his right forearm, visited orthopedist Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla., on Monday, and got good news.
The MRI on his forearm showed no structural damage, just tightness, and he received a cortisone injection. Surgery is not considered an option.
“Just slow progression, I guess,” Karns said.
Manager Brandon Hyde hopes that Karns is throwing again in a week to 10 days.
Karns, who didn’t pitch at all last year, didn’t give up an earned run in 5 1/3 innings, including two games where he served as the Orioles’ opener.
“Last year was a forearm strain,” Karns said. “That’s pretty much the difference right there. This is just kind of bad luck, I guess, really…Just an unfortunate slow-moving process right now.”
Karns made a rehab appearance at Triple-A Norfolk when he allowed three runs while recording just one out. In his only outing for Double-A Bowie, he allowed two runs in an inning.
Because Karns felt tightness, he was returned from his rehab assignment to the 10-day injured list.
“I was 90, 93 [mph] in my last rehab start,” Karns said. “It was still with some discomfort. So the whole reason I got put on the [IL] was because of discomfort. We were just feeling with all the rehab, we should not be having that.
“It’s one of those things where I pitched, and I was 90, 93, come back the next day, I was tender, so it was not something that was going to be productive to come off the [IL] with, kind of laboring with. When you come off the [IL], you want to be ready to go. You don’t want to be a liability in the bullpen.”
Big game Givens: In Mychal Givens’ last four appearances, he’s recorded saves. In three of them, he’s been asked to get more than three outs. On Monday night, he was asked for a four-out save.
“Givens is going to pitch in the biggest part of the game against the toughest part of their lineup,” Hyde said. “I’m not managing for a save. I’m trying to win the game, and I want Mike to pitch in the biggest spot. His last four saves have been in big spots, and in the meat of the order of the other team, and he’s done a great job.”
He’s held opponents scoreless in his last three outings and given up just one hit in 3 2/3 innings, striking out five and walking one.
Givens has been in 12 games and thrown 15 2/3 innings in the first 35 games. Last year, he had made 12 appearances by the 28th game.
He hasn’t pitched in many games that weren’t close, but that wasn’t by design.
“There have been games where he hasn’t pitched in a few days, where he was going to pitch regardless just to get him on the mound,” Hyde said. “I don’t believe in guys being not used down there for a long time, especially a guy like him. He needs to be on the mound.
“There’s been times where it’s actually worked out, where he has to come in to pitch. He closed one night, where I told him before the game: ‘You’re going to pitch in this game, no matter what the score.’”
Givens has pitched on consecutive days just once this year, March 30 and March 31 at Yankee Stadium.
“If it’s the biggest spot in the game, I’m going to live with Mike in the game,” Hyde said.
Sucre is back: Norfolk reinstated catcher Jesus Sucre from the Temporarily Inactive List. He’d been inactive since Saturday while moving his family to Miami
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I actually hadn't realized we were able to keep Sucre in the organization. That seems like a good thing. Never heard of the temporarily inactive list but seems a humane thing to allow players to take care of personal matters when they need to. Does that exist in the majors too? I know they've got bereavement and paternity leave options.