LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Braves left-hander Josh Outman still doesn’t know what’s causing the pain near his pitching shoulder, but he has a better idea what it could be and will see a specialist soon in St. Louis.
The reliever has struggled all spring and returned to Atlanta for a battery of tests Monday and Tuesday. MRIs and X-rays showed the shoulder was structurally sound, but Outman complained of discomfort near the clavicle and will be sent to another specialist at his request, a doctor he described as a vascular specialist.
“I don’t know what the title is, and I don’t really care,” Outman said. “If he’s going to give me an answer and let me know what I need to do to be back to myself on the mound, I don’t care what he calls himself… The most important thing is to get right, because I hope to be an effective part of the bullpen for this team, and it’s obvious I wasn’t being effective.”
Outman has an 8.55 ERA and .355 opponents’ average, and allowed at least one run in each of his past four appearances, giving up 11 total hits in 3 2/3 innings during that period. He complained of arm soreness after his March 26 appearance against the Pirates, when he gave up three hits and one run and recorded two outs.
“It was (hurting) a bit before that,” he said. “That last game I threw, though, I really had some trouble with it. So I brought it up and they wanted to find out what was going on. So, turning over every stone to see what happened….
“Everything with my shoulder and arm are fine, it’s more up in my clavicle region. They checked my shoulder and that’s all good, structurally good, muscles are good. But I’m just not able to command a baseball the way I know I can and the velocity’s not there obviously. I’m giving everything I have and throwing 85 miles an hour, so I’d like to figure it out.”
The Braves released struggling lefty reliever James Russell Sunday, making the move before opening day and thus obligating them to pay one-fourth of his $2.425 million contract. They claimed lefty Andrew McKirahan off waivers from the Marlins Wednesday and must keep the former Rule 5 draft pick on the 25-man roster all season or offer him back to the Cubs, his original team.
Assuming Outman starts the season on the 15-day disabled list, McKirahan and Luis Avilan would likely be the Braves’ two lefty relievers to begin the season, barring another waiver claim or trade before Monday.
Outman signed a one-year, $925,000 contract in early January, after the 30-year-old went 4-0 with a 2.86 ERA in 40 appearances for the Yankees and Indians in 2014. His .229 opponents’ average included .169 (10-for-59) by left-handed batters. The contract includes up to $475,000 in additional performance incentives.
He was asked if the arm issue contributed to his struggles this spring.
“I don’t know to what extent,” said Outman, who gave up no hits and two walks in three scoreless innings over his first three appearances. “When things don’t hurt as a pitcher you don’t go looking for things. I don’t know how long it’s affected me, but early in spring I didn’t have great velocity. I was able to get results, so I said hey, I’m not going to split hairs if I can get outs.
“But when I’m having a hard time commanding the baseball and manipulating the baseball the way I know I can and have in the past, something doesn’t feel right and it’s time to figure out what’s going on. I’m no good to anyone if I’m not able to command a baseball.”
