Melton (right elbow inflammation) unlikely to be ready for Opening Day
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LAKELAND, Fla. -- Troy Melton is unlikely to be ready for Opening Day after the promising Tigers right-hander was diagnosed with inflammation in his right elbow.
"The doctor suggested one to two weeks of no-throw,” manager A.J. Hinch said on Friday. “While he can still do other things -- lifting, running and [fielding] stuff -- we'll limit the [throwing] while things calm down."
With Opening Day now just four weeks away and the Tigers proceeding cautiously with their young pitcher, the timetable is not in Melton’s favor to be ready for the start of the regular season on March 26 in San Diego.
“It’s unlikely that he’s going to be ready for the beginning of the season,” Hinch said. “We’ll know more, as we ramp him back up, what that exactly means.”
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Melton has not pitched in a game this spring. He was throwing at the start of camp but reported soreness at one point, after which he was shut down from throwing and examined.
Melton spent most of the offseason poised to compete for a rotation spot after emerging as one of the Tigers’ key relievers and spot starters down the stretch last year. His potential role changed in the final days leading up to camp once Detroit signed veteran starters Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander, essentially filling their rotation. The Tigers still planned on stretching out Melton as a starter this spring in case an injury within the rotation forced them to tap into their pitching depth. His path to Detroit’s Opening Day roster was as a reliever, barring injuries to other starters.
Assuming Melton’s arm responds well after the break from throwing, a delayed start to his season could help the Tigers monitor his workload. He threw a career-high 121 innings in the regular season last year, then added 8 1/3 innings in the postseason. That should leave room for Melton to pitch as a starter this season without innings restrictions, but a delayed start would erase any doubt. But again, he has to be healthy first.
Melton’s delay likely erases a multi-inning reliever from the Tigers’ bullpen picture. With Keider Montero, Brant Hurter and Brenan Hanifee back, plus Drew Anderson signed to a Major League contract and Bryan Sammons back in the organization, the Tigers have plenty of options.