Cards' Reyes returns to DL after making first start since 2016
ST. LOUIS -- Alex Reyes' return to the St. Louis Cardinals after a 20-month absence lasted just four innings.
The 23-year-old right-hander was put on the 10-day disabled list on Thursday because of a strained latissimus dorsi muscle in his right side.
Coming back from Tommy John surgery, Reyes was hurt on Wednesday when he allowed three hits over four scoreless innings at Milwaukee in his first big league appearance since Sept. 29, 2016.
"A significant lat injury," Cardinals vice president and general manager Michael Girsch called it. "It is not a minor injury. It is not going to be a couple starts, it's going to be more than a few starts. We don't have all the information yet."
Reyes threw 73 pitches and had a considerable drop in velocity toward the end of his appearance.
"I got out there and he kind of gave us a look like we were crazy, which was encouraging," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. "Obviously, we got the news after the game that once he cooled down, he wasn't feeling quite right."
Reyes was 4-1 with a 1.57 ERA two years ago, striking out 52 in 46 innings. He felt pain during a pre-spring training bullpen session in February 2017 and had elbow ligament-replacement surgery.
Reyes went 3-0 in four minor league injury rehabilitation starts this month at Class A Palm Beach and Peoria, Double-A Springfield and Triple-A Memphis. He struck out 44 in 23 innings.
St. Louis recalled left-hander Austin Gomber and right-hander Mike Mayers from Memphis along with first baseman Luke Voit. St. Louis optioned outfielder Tyler O'Neill and pitcher John Gant to its Triple-A affiliate.
