Armstrong lands on IL with right groin strain; Guardians recall Holderman

TORONTO -- The Guardians placed right-hander Shawn Armstrong on the 15-day injured list on Sunday with a right groin strain, recalling right-hander Colin Holderman from Triple-A Columbus in a corresponding move.

Armstrong’s groin issue popped up during Friday’s series opener against the Blue Jays. He warmed up in the eighth inning and was fine, and got back up in the ninth. The plan was for him to enter the game in the bottom of the ninth if the Guardians expanded their two-run lead.

When Armstrong got back up to throw in the ninth, he felt a “pretty good stretch” on a warmup throw. Cade Smith ultimately closed out the 8-6 win.

“We've made very good progress to today,” Armstrong said on Sunday. “But it's just not quite good enough with the bullpen that needs an arm for today.”

Armstrong signed a one-year deal with the Guardians over the offseason, adding a proven veteran to the late-inning relief mix. He has logged a 4.22 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP over 12 appearances, with 13 strikeouts and seven walks over 10 2/3 innings.

Armstrong has been charged with five runs (all earned) this season, though three came on April 17 against the Orioles when he issued two walks, hit a batter and did not record an out. He was sharp over his ensuing and two most recent outings, tossing consecutive 1-2-3 scoreless innings.

“Very frustrating,” Armstrong said of the groin injury, “just because I felt like stuff was starting to kind of click with velo, movement profiles, that type of stuff over the last two outings, and my body was feeling very consistent. But fortunately, it's April. It's not September, so just trying to get back.”

Armstrong described how he felt waking up Sunday as “night and day different,” than Saturday, and credited the work of the Guardians’ training staff. He and the team don’t expect him to be sidelined long. His IL placement is retroactive to April 23, so he’s eligible to return on May 8. But Cleveland did not want the bullpen to be a man down for a handful of days, hence the IL move.

“Hopefully get this thing running and be back by May 8,” Armstrong said.

Holderman made two appearances during the Guardians’ season-opening series against the Mariners before he was optioned to Columbus on March 30. The 30-year-old allowed 11 runs (eight earned) on 13 hits and two walks with 13 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings with the Clippers. He tossed six scoreless innings across his three most recent outings, while allowing three hits and one walk with six strikeouts.

“Colin provides us some length out there,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “He can go 40, 45, pitches. Colin's been throwing well. Obviously, we know he's got the big stuff. He's been in the strike zone a lot more as of late. He's had some really efficient outings, and that's what you want. You want guys to pound the strike zone.”